The Call of Cthulhu
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Kenny's journey is at an end. Will he be able to finally put an end to Cthulhu's rampage? Sequel of "Trial and Error". Rated T for language.
1. No More

"_I can't stop. I have to keep going. Everyone is counting on me._"

Kenny had rested for just a few minutes before deciding that it had been enough and continuing his path, following Cthulhu's trail of death and destruction. Sometimes he found survivors who helped him on his way, but not very often. Most of the time he just gathered whatever resources he could, put them in his bag, and left for the next location. This time was no different.  
Kenny picked up his bag, put it on and made his way through the remains of the demolished city. Since it would take him some time to get to his next location, Kenny began to wonder why Cthulhu waited a long time between attacks. Moreover, nobody could find it before or after an attack. Kenny could only follow Cthulhu for a few miles before losing trace of it as well. After that, Kenny usually waited in a nearby town for Cthulhu to appear again and, when he did, moved toward it, much to everyone's surprise.  
As Kenny made his way north, his mind wandered.

* * *

**TWO YEARS AGO**

Kenny and Kyle had been adrift on the Cthulhu worshipers' boat for days now. They had already run out of food and water, and what little fuel they had left wouldn't last for the trip back to South Park, as the boat had spent most of it when the boys were trying to get away from the vortex created when Cthulhu had been released. Kyle was beginning to fade quickly, much to Kenny's concern. Both boys had tried the radio several times, to no avail. They were lying down on top of the boat, but Kyle was snoring. Kenny became concerned he would die in his sleep, so he decided to wake him up.

"Kyle! Wake up!"  
"H-Huh?! W-What is it?"  
"Please try to stay awake... I know you're exhausted, but you have to stay awake. Just keep talking to me."

Kyle blinked a few times, trying to stay awake, and looked at Kenny with tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kenny... For everything."  
"Kyle, don't cry... I hate it when you cry."  
"Please, just... listen. I'm sorry I got involved with these guys... It's **my** fault we're here, starving and weak... We're gonna die, and it's all my fault."

Kyle's words echoed in Kenny's mind. He had been trying to avoid the only way he knew of to save himself and Kyle, since it was a long shot at best, yet now he had no choice.

"_If I die first... I might be able to save you._"

Kenny got up, with Kyle staring at him in surprise.

"What are you doing?" Kyle asked.  
"Kyle... I didn't want to do this, but... I think I know how to save you."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I have to get back to South Park. I can use the boat's GPS to get our location. Once I get back home, I'll bring help."  
"Kenny, I think you're a bit delirious... We can't just wish ourselves back to South Park."  
"Just trust me on this, Kyle."

Kenny slowly made his way to the cockpit and took a look at the GPS.

"_The location is changing quickly... I just hope I can make it back here in time._"

He memorized the boat's current location, but, just as he was about to find something to kill himself with, he decided to try the radio one last time.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Kenny asked.  
"Hello there!"

"_Yes!_"

"Kyle! Someone's nearby! They're answering to the radio."  
"Really?"

Kyle quickly got up and stood next to Kenny while simultaneously looking for the nearby boat.

"Hello, sir! My friend and I have been adrift for days now! We have little fuel and nothing to eat or drink. Can you help us?"  
"Of course, son! Just tell me where you are."

Kenny told the man on the radio the boat's coordinates, and, within minutes, another boat showed up. They were greeted warmly and offered food and water, which they gladly accepted and consumed.

* * *

Several hours later, the boys were back in South Park, where their parents awaited. Kyle ran straight for his family and hugged them, and Kenny did the same with his family. They all cried tears of joy.

"Where were you guys?" Ike asked.  
"We were kidnapped by the same group that kidnapped Kenny."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah... We got lost in the middle of the ocean, but Kenny managed to contact another boat."  
"That's great!"  
"Also... Kenny and I..."

Kyle looked at Kenny, who knew what he wanted to say and nodded in response. At that point, Kyle took Kenny's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Kenny and I are dating. We have been for almost a year now."

Everyone stopped talking to each other and simply stared at the boys. Ike smiled warmly, but his mother wasn't so happy about it. She wanted to make a scene, yet she wouldn't. Not in front of both families.  
Kenny had to focus hard on not giggling, but his smile said everything. It was the first time Kyle had referred to the status of their relationship as being more than mere friendship, and Kenny couldn't be happier.  
After almost a full minute of standing around without saying anything, Ike decided to break the silence, seeing as how nobody else would.

"The important thing is you're back, bro."

Everyone agreed with Ike's statement, albeit slowly and awkwardly. To most of them, Kyle's revelation came as a total surprise.

* * *

The boys were taken back to their respective homes, even though they wanted to stay together. When Kyle arrived home, his mother started saying what she hadn't been able to when he told everyone about his relationship with Kenny.

"Why would you want to date another boy?!"  
"Because... Because I love him."

Kyle's confession only made his mother angrier. She started yelling loudly enough to be heard by the houses beside Kyle's own, but she was so angry that she wasn't making any sense.

* * *

Meanwhile, as Sheila yelled at Kyle, Kenny finally arrived home. Unlike Kyle's family, Kenny's had no vehicle of their own, so they had had to walk. Kenny's family accepted his relationship with Kyle without question and didn't even mention it on their way home.  
Just as the McCormicks entered their home, detective Matt appeared.

"Kenny." Matt said.  
"Hello..." Kenny replied hesitantly.  
"I... I just wanted to apologize for what happened. You were wrongfully put in jail for months, and it's all my fault."

"_Not as wrongfully as you think._" Kenny thought.

"Look, detective-"  
"Call me Matt."  
"Matt... You were just doing your job. I don't blame you for what happened."  
"That's not everything... Can we talk in private?"

Kenny looked at his family, who had not left his side. He signaled for them to get inside.

"We're alone."  
"Kenny, I've been doing some research on the group that kidnapped you and Kyle."  
"What did you find out?"  
"They're a new version of the old Cthulhu cult. They're lead by a guy named Roy."

"_That's what Kyle told me too, when we were on that boat._"

"What else?"  
"They... They freed Cthulhu. I don't know how, but they did it."  
"Why do you think that?"  
"I don't think it; I know it! I saw reports of a large green flying dragon-like creature with tentacles. All the descriptions leave no doubt. It was Cthulhu."  
"If it really was him, don't you think he'd be doing some destruction right about now?"  
"Maybe he's still gathering strength. Maybe he set his sights on another planet. Who knows?"

"_I think he's still gathering strength._" Kenny thought. "_There's no way he'd pass up the chance to cause death and destruction._"

"Look, Kenny... I came here because I need your help. You've been captured by this cult twice now. You **must** know something."

"_I know Kyle's the one who released him._"

"I'm sorry, Matt, but... You know as much – or as little – as I do." Kenny lied.  
"No, no... **I'm** sorry. You just came back and I'm already giving you bad news."  
"It's alright. You're just doing your job."  
"Look..." Matt said as he pulled out a card from his jacket pocket. "Here's my number. Call me if anything comes to mind."  
"I will."  
"Thank you, Kenny, and... welcome back."  
"Thanks, Matt. For everything."

Kenny and Matt shook hands before the latter got into his car and left. Kenny kept his eyes focused on Matt's car until it was out of sight.

"_Good luck, Matt._"

Kenny headed upstairs into his room. Kevin was already inside, sitting in his bed and smirking.

"So... you and Kyle finally got together, huh?"

Kenny nodded in response.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"  
"Kyle wasn't sure what to make of our... relationship. He wanted to keep it a secret until he was ready to tell everyone. I didn't think he even considered we were dating... Between you and me, I think being kidnapped actually helped him make up his mind."  
"Are you glad it happened?"  
"I dunno... I'm happy he made up his mind, but what happened to make him do that was... awful."  
"Were you guys hurt?"  
"I was, but I tried to keep Kyle safe... We weren't abducted at the same time, so I don't know if he was hurt before I got there."  
"...Do you think he'll need therapy or something?"  
"Maybe... He did seem pretty frightened when I saw him."  
"What about you? Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine, Kevin... Don't worry."  
"Alright, bro... If you need anything, you can ask me."  
"Thanks, Kevin..."

Kevin hugged Kenny for a couple of seconds and left the latter's room. Kenny lied down on his bed and sighed.

"_Home... Finally._"

* * *

**PRESENT**

Kenny had finally reached the next town to the north. It was nighttime, so Kenny knew he had to seek shelter as soon as possible. He got out what little money he had and headed for the only motel he could find.  
Kenny rang the small bell on the counter and waited a few seconds before a large man greeted him.

"Hello there, stranger. What can I do you for?"  
"How much for a room?"  
"How many nights are you planning on staying here?"  
"I'm not sure yet. I'm... waiting for someone."  
"Well, a standard room is about ten dollars per night."  
"I have... eight... I'm sorry; I can't afford it."

Kenny turned around and left, intent on finding a park bench or such to sleep on, but the man stopped him from doing so.

"Son, I think we can work something out... Work for me until whoever you're waiting for shows up. I don't have the money to pay you, but I'll give you a room and food for free. Whaddya say?"

Kenny was hesitant to take the stranger's offer, given his lack of experience with motel procedures, but he had no other choice.

"...Thank you."  
"Here, I'll show you to your room."

* * *

Kenny followed the man into one of the rooms. It was larger than some of the motel rooms Kenny had been in, but not too large. It had a double bed to the right of the door, a closet large enough for all of Kenny's clothes and then some, a small bathroom with an even smaller shower, which Kenny knew he was going to have trouble with, and some windows on the wall opposite of the door.

"You like?"  
"It's great, Mr..."  
"Call me Sam."  
"Thank you, Sam."  
"Don't mention it. Now go to sleep. It's late, and you have a lot of work ahead of you tomorrow."

"_First a shower._" Kenny thought."_I've been walking for hours._"

As soon as Sam was out the door, Kenny stripped down and got into the shower. It took him a few seconds to get the temperature just right. He liked warm water, just ever so slightly warmer than his body. Kenny stood there, with his back against the wall, the water pouring down on him.

"_That feels nice... I'm lucky Sam made this deal... I just hope I don't screw it up._"

Kenny finished showering almost an hour later. He searched his bag for some clean underwear and put it on before getting in bed.

"_Finally... Some rest. My feet are killing me._"

Kenny adjusted his pillow and closed his eyes, falling asleep shortly after.


	2. Long Day

Sam had been banging on Kenny's door for a solid minute now. Kenny was so tired that he simply would not wake up. Sam gave up on trying to wake him up from outside his room and opened the door instead. He found Kenny still sleeping, drooling on his pillow.

"_Kenny... I would let you rest a little while longer, but it's getting late._"

Reluctantly, Sam approached Kenny and shook him slightly. Kenny's eyes flew open.

"Morning already?" Kenny groaned.  
"It's actually almost noon."  
"What?! I-I'm so sorry, Sam. I didn't know-"  
"It's alright, Kenny. Get ready and meet me at the entrance. You have work to do."

Sam left Kenny's room, and the latter slowly rose from his bed and got dressed.

"_Time to go to work... I wish Sam was paying me. If I go to the next town without some money, I might not find someone as generous as he is._"

Kenny shuffled toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him. By the time he got out, he was already feeling somewhat more awake and aware. Kenny went back into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face, to wake himself up. It was unpleasant, yet effective.

"_Wow. That's better than coffee._"

Kenny rushed for the entrance. Sam was waiting for him, just like he had said.

"Hey there. Feeling better now?" Sam asked.  
"Sure am."  
"Good." Sam said as he reached for a paper on the counter. "I need you to clean up these rooms. Then I need you to..."

Sam went on to describe everything he needed Kenny to do. It was a long list, and some of it were things Kenny hoped he didn't have to do, but he had no choice but to do what Sam asked.

* * *

Kenny moved to the first of five rooms Sam had asked him to clean up. As he removed the bed sheets, he started to think about Kyle.

"_Kyle... Why did you do it? I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you... Why did you have to do it?_"

* * *

**TWO YEARS AGO**

Kenny woke up to the sound of his alarm.

"_Never thought I would miss that sound..._"

For the first time, he was excited to go to school. He thought that if Kyle felt comfortable enough with their relationship to tell their parents, then telling everyone else would be even easier. Of course, he would never tell them anything without Kyle explicitly stating that he approved it, but he was confident Kyle wouldn't have anything negative to say about it.

* * *

Kenny arrived at school just a few minutes before classes started. Kyle was waiting for him by the front gate, annoyed.

"Finally! I've been waiting here for almost an hour."  
"Chill, Kyle... You know I always come at the last minute."  
"I know, but... after what I said to our families yesterday, I thought you'd be here sooner."  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's fine..." Kyle sighed. "Let's just... go inside."

Kyle stretched his arm toward Kenny, expecting him to take his hand, but Kenny wanted to be sure before he did anything.

"You sure you want to hold hands? Not exactly subtle."  
"I'm sure. After what happened... I don't want to hide anymore. I love you, and I don't care what anyone thinks or says about it."

With his confidence now reinstated, Kenny took Kyle's hand and rubbed it gently, before heading toward the main building. The boys received some stares, giggles and whispers from almost everyone around them, but nothing too demeaning. In spite of his previous comments, Kyle was blushing, and so was Kenny. Kyle, because he had never done anything like that before; Kenny, because he had always been shy about showing affection in public.  
The walk to the main building seemed to last forever. Kyle's mouth went dry within a few seconds, and it took a while before Kenny adjusted his pace to Kyle's, due to the height difference and nervousness. Once they finally made it inside, both boys sighed in relief. Much to their surprise, there were even more people indoors. At first, they were all talking to each other, but that stopped as soon as they noticed Kenny and Kyle holding hands. Kyle noticed Stan was there, as wide-eyed as everyone else. After several seconds, Stan started clapping and cheering, and everyone soon followed his example. Kenny and Kyle only became more embarrassed and lowered their heads, with their faces quickly turning bright red. They slowly made their way to their classroom, with their some of their colleagues saying supportive things as they did. Others simply commented that it was about time the boys got together. Both types of comments only served to further embarrass them.

* * *

Several hours later, classes were over. Kenny decided to go home with Kyle, much to the latter's surprise and appreciation. Kyle wanted to spend time with his boyfriend, away from everyone else.

* * *

The boys arrived at Kyle's home a few minutes after leaving school. Usually, they would have gone up into Kyle's room, but, since they were alone, they decided to turn on the TV in the living room instead. They quickly found a report on the first attack by Cthulhu.

"With over ten thousand people dead, this marks the worst recorded attack by Cthulhu. The military followed him for a while before, according to the reports, he evaporated into thin air. Moreover-"

Kenny turned off the TV and faced Kyle, who had his head lowered and was on the verge of tears.

"_What should I say?_" Kenny thought."_This is his fault; there's no getting around that, and he knows it._"

Kyle's tears started falling and being absorbed by the carpet under his feet. Kenny approached him and tried to hold him in his arms, but Kyle simply ran away and locked himself in his room. Kenny knocked on the door for several minutes while calling out to him, to no avail. Every once in a while, Kyle's sobs got slightly louder. It was barely noticeable, but Kenny's sharp ears easily picked up on it.

"Kyle, please unlock the door... I won't talk if you don't want me to talk... I just want to be there for you."

Kyle didn't know what to do. Acting out of instinct, he wiped away what tears he could and opened his bedroom door. He didn't have the courage to look into Kenny's eyes, so he simply stared at the ground, tears still rolling down his cheeks. Kenny slowly put his arms around Kyle and squeezed him gently, before kissing his forehead.

"It's OK, Kyle..." Kenny lied.  
"Don't lie to me, Kenny. We both know what I did. Those people are all dead because of **me**."  
"Kyle, you were trying to do the right thing. You wanted to save me, so you did what you had to."

Kyle wiped away some more tears and stared into Kenny's big blue eyes.

"Look at me in the eyes and tell me you would have done the same thing. Would you have freed Cthulhu, knowing he would go around killing thousands of innocents?"

Kenny thought about Kyle's question for several minutes. Kyle didn't sob or cry while Kenny considered his answer.

"For you?" Kenny hesitantly asked. "...I think I would." he lied.  
"...No; you wouldn't."

Kyle could tell Kenny was lying to him but he didn't say anything. The last thing he wanted was to have a fight, now that their relationship was public knowledge. After a few seconds of mulling it over, Kyle smiled. To him, the fact that Kenny was willing to lie to make him feel better proved that Kenny really cared about him.

"You're smiling. Is that good news or bad?"  
"I'm just happy you care enough to lie to me."

Kenny was confused by Kyle's statement, yet glad he felt that way.

"Thank you, Kenny."

Kyle pulled Kenny closer for a kiss, which caught the taller boy by surprise. The kiss was only broken once Ike arrived.

"Bro!" Ike yelled. "I'm home!"

Kyle lowered his head and faced away from Kenny, confusing the blond boy.

"...You should go." Kyle said. "Ike's gonna want to talk about what everyone at school saw."

Before leaving, Kenny approached Kyle and put his arms around his boyfriend's waist. Kyle sighed in contentment and Kenny gently rocked him from side to side for a few seconds before letting go.

"OK, Kyle. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kenny kissed Kyle's cheek and left, crossing paths with a smirking Ike.

"_I bet I knew what you were doing._" Ike thought.

Ike went inside Kyle's room, still smirking. Kyle was blushing, which just added to Ike's giddiness.

"Hey, bro. So, what were you doing?"  
"Just... chatting with Kenny."  
"Right... And what's with the scene at school? I heard there were people clapping and everything."  
"It was Stan who started that... I didn't like it. I was already nervous enough holding Kenny's hand in front of everyone."  
"What did Kenny think of it?"  
"We didn't really talk about it, but I think he liked it. He told me he wanted to reveal our... relationship to everyone a while after we started it."  
"Really? Why didn't you do it?"  
"You know why... Mom, dad, the guys at school... They wouldn't understand."  
"Kyle, I think you're right about mom, but everyone else accepted your relationship. The guys at school even cheered for you. I think you're overreacting. We aren't going to burn you at the stake for liking other guys. Everyone already knew you and Kenny had a thing for each other. Trust me, holding hands didn't come as a surprise to anyone. Except maybe mom and dad."  
"Maybe you're right... Thanks, Ike."  
"You're welcome, bro."

* * *

**PRESENT**

Kenny had finally finished the list of chores Sam had given him. Sam rewarded him with a much-deserved break, which he used to explore the town in search of a way to make money. The deal with Sam was good, but if Kenny didn't get some money together, he might not find the same deal in the next town.  
Kenny quickly found a small grocery store with a "Help wanted" sign on the door. He went in and approached the owner. He was a small man, at least sixty years old, with grey hair. He was wearing a striped shirt and jeans. Kenny thought that was a weird combination, especially for someone his age, but he didn't question the old man's fashion sense.

"Hello, sir. I saw your sign out there, and-"  
"You'd like to help? I've never seen you before. Are you new here?"

The old man's energy and speed were surprising, yet disconcerting, so Kenny tried to talk slower than usual, to see if the old man would slow down as well.

"Yeah, I'd like to help. I just arrived in town last night."  
"Really? Where are you from? I'll pay you ten bucks an hour. We'll discuss your schedule if you accept."

"_Ten bucks! That's ever so slightly above minimum wage... but I guess I can't complain._"

"I'm from South Park, Colorado. My schedule is a bit... iffy. I already have another job working at the motel."  
"Well... that's alright, son. I really need help, so I'll give you a flexible schedule."  
"Thank you, sir."  
"Now come inside so we can chat."  
"What about the store? What if someone comes in?"`  
"My grandson's around here somewhere. Tommy! Come meet this nice young man!"

Kenny heard a low groan coming from the opposite side of the store. He figured the old man's grandson had been asleep. It took several seconds before Tommy made his way across the store. He took one final step and finally appeared. Upon looking at his face, Kenny immediately turned bright red. If not for the height difference and light freckles, Tommy could be Kyle's twin brother. He had dark green eyes, bright red hair and light skin, just like Kyle's. He was a couple of inches shorter than Kenny, but taller than Kyle.

"Hi! What's your name?" Tommy said.

Even Tommy's smile was similar to Kyle's; they had the same dimples. Kenny's heart started pounding in his chest, and he started sweating.

"H-Hey..." Kenny replied shyly. "I-I'm Kenny."  
"I'm Tommy! Nice to meet you."

The old man smiled warmly at Kenny and pulled him away and into his office, leaving Tommy alone to tend to the cash register.

"So, Kenny, I need you to work a few hours every day. I'll pay you ten bucks an hour, and I'll give you a flexible schedule so you don't have to worry about arriving here at the same time every day."

"_That's what you said a few minutes ago._" Kenny thought.

"I'll take it."  
"Great! When can you start?"  
"I can start today."  
"Even better! I need to take care of something today. I'll leave you with Tommy. He'll show you the ropes."

"_Great. I get to spend some time with Kyle's long lost twin._"

"...Alright. I'll do it."  
"Awesome! I'll be back later today. See ya!"

The old man led Kenny out of his office, locked the door and patted Kenny's back before finally leaving. Kenny looked at Tommy, who was smiling as he counted the money in the cash register.

"_This is gonna be a long day..._" Kenny thought.


	3. Goodbye

Kenny spent several hours trying to avoid being by Tommy's side or even looking at him. He was wandering around the store, saying he just wanted to familiarize himself with it. Costumers came often, more frequently than Kenny expected for a small town. He figured the grocery store was the only one around. Sometimes they asked him for help finding a specific item, and Kenny did his best to find it. Usually he knew where it was, but, occasionally, it took him a while to find the items the costumers asked for. Tommy always offered to help, yet Kenny never accepted it. He wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Every time their eyes met, Kenny became too nervous to even speak or walk properly. Tommy thought it was funny, but not much else.

* * *

By the time Tommy's grandfather returned, Kenny had had questioned his reasons for accepting the old man's offer several dozen times. He didn't want to spend any time close to Tommy, due to his resemblance with Kyle. Being near him just caused Kenny pain, due to the flow of memories that assailed his brain. Even though he knew all this, Kenny couldn't leave either. Every time he tried to say that he wanted to leave, he glanced at Tommy and the desire to leave vanished. He didn't understand what was going on inside his head. Although, now, it didn't matter. Tommy's grandfather was about to let Kenny go back to the motel.

"Thanks for staying here with my grandson."  
"Y-Yeah... My pleasure."  
"Do you want to be payed now?"  
"Whenever is fine."  
"Then I'll give you the money every week. Go home now. I'll wait for your visit tomorrow."  
"Alright. See ya."  
"See ya, Kenny!"

Kenny looked at Tommy, blushed and waved goodbye before stumbling out of the small grocery store while Tommy laughed. Once outside, Kenny took a deep breath and faced the direction of the motel.

"_It's getting late, but... I can probably roam around town for a while..._"

Kenny decided to explore the town, as he would be stuck in it for a month, if not more. He wandered aimlessly, looking all around himself. He quickly came across a small park. It had a few trees, a game of tic-tac-toe, some benches and swings with kids on them, but it was mostly grass, where some dogs were playing. Kenny watched the children play and felt regret that he had not enjoyed his childhood as much as he should have. As soon as Cthulhu was released and subsequently defeated, Kenny's childhood ended. He devoted himself entirely to stop the new crime wave that had the residents of South Park living in fear.

"_How can they be so happy when Cthulhu is roaming the country, burning cities to the ground? We're this close to martial law already!_"

Seeing the children play sparked a memory in Kenny's brain.

* * *

**TWELVE YEARS AGO**

"Come on, Kyle! Let's go!"  
"Just slow down, Kenny!"

Kenny didn't even hear his friend telling him to calm down. Instead, he started running, with Kyle following as closely as possible. After a few minutes of non-stop running, the boys reached their destination: the local park. As they had expected, it was empty, as all the other kids were at school.

"Do you really think our parents won't find out we skipped school?" Kyle asked.  
"It was only English class... Trust me; they won't find out."  
"...Thanks for bringing me here, Kenny. My mom's been acting bitchier than usual, and... I just needed to relax."  
"You're welcome."

Kyle and Kenny sat down next to each other on the swings. They didn't move or speak; they just relished in each other's presence.  
The silence was finally broken when Kyle started rocking back and forth. Kenny remained still, simply staring at Kyle.

"You know... I haven't been on a swing in years. I just got too big for them. I can't swing very far without my feet hitting the ground."

Kenny got up and walked over to Kyle.

"Let me help you. Keep your legs as close to your body as possible."

Kyle did as Kenny told him, and the blond boy gently pushed Kyle. He swung forward a little, then backward. Kenny pushed him harder, and the cycle continued until Kyle was swinging so quickly that Kenny had to move away in order to not be hit. Kyle didn't move, slowly coming to a stop with a smile on his face.

"Thanks, Kenny."  
"Any time."

Kenny sat back down next to Kyle and sighed.

"_These are the moments I will remember forever..._"

* * *

**PRESENT**

Kenny snapped back to reality with tears forming in his eyes. People were staring at him, yet not saying anything. Kenny wiped away his tears and continued along his path, ignoring all the stares. He came across normal places of business for a small town, such as a barber, a mechanic and a pharmacy. He also saw a library and a police station. The library seemed unusually large for a small town, so Kenny went inside to check it out.  
The library occupied two stories, with spiral staircases giving access to the upper floor and ladders going from the bottom of the bookshelves to the top. Kenny tried counting all the bookshelves in the library. He stopped counting when he reached two dozen. As far as he could tell, there were books on everything he could ever want. He saw labels for fiction, mythology, science, cooking and even self-improvement.

"_Kyle would love this library..._"

Tears appeared in Kenny's eyes again. He wiped them away like before and ignored them. Kenny looked out the window and saw that it was beginning to rain.

"_Time to go back to the motel._"

Kenny left the library in a hurry and ran all the way back to the motel.

* * *

The rain caught up to Kenny and soaked his clothes, in spite of his parka. He entered the motel, dripping rainwater everywhere, much to Sam's surprise.

"I was starting to think you had left town. It's pretty late."  
"Yeah..."

Sam looked at Kenny from head to toe and stated the obvious.

"Haven't you ever head of umbrellas?"  
"I... I was... exploring." Kenny explained while panting.  
"How far did you get?"  
"I was at the library."  
"Did you like it?"  
"Libraries are not my thing... I had this... friend, who was into them, though."  
"Had? Is he dead?"  
"No; we just... grew apart. That's part of the reason why I'm here and not back home."  
"Where is 'home'?"  
"South Park, Colorado."  
"You're a long way from home, Kenny... Why did you leave?"  
"I don't mean to sound rude, but... that's personal."  
"Sorry... I'm just naturally curious."  
"It's alright... Look, I'm going back to my room, OK?"  
"Sure, Kenny. I'll be staying up a few more hours, if you need me."  
"Thanks, Sam."

Kenny yawned and started making his way to the room Sam had reserved for him.

"_Finally... Time to rest._"

Kenny lied down on his bed and sighed. Fighting the memories that had popped up in his mind was taking a lot out of him. Avoiding Tommy was no easy task either. He thought about leaving and moving on to another town, but he was afraid he'd lose track of Cthulhu if he did.

"_I have no choice... I have to stay here. Although... I don't have to keep working at that grocery store. I have to leave. Staying there... it hurts. All I can think about is Kyle..._"

Kenny closed his eyes and started crying. He wiped away his tears every few seconds, but more just kept appearing.

"_Fucking Kyle... Even when you're not here you can still hurt me... I wish I'd never met you._"

* * *

Kenny only slept for a handful of hours. He woke up exhausted and hungry, and slowly made his way to the shower. He quickly set the temperature the way he wanted it, thanks to his previous experience, and showered for well over an hour. Kenny didn't want to go back to Tommy, and the pain that came with being reminded of Kyle. He didn't want to work with Sam. He didn't want to fight Cthulhu. He only wanted to be left alone.  
Kenny's feelings of self-worthlessness only lasted until he got out of the shower. As usual, the warm water running all over his body was enough to make him feel better about himself and everything. He didn't care that about what had happened between him and Kyle. He didn't care about having to work with someone who constantly reminded him of that just by being there. He didn't care the fate of the world – perhaps even the universe – rested on his and **only** his shoulders. All he cared about was his mission: stopping Cthulhu for good, no matter the cost to himself. Whatever came after could wait.

"_Focus on your goal... And everything will be fine._"

Kenny dried himself, got dressed and left to talk to Sam.

"Hey, Sam."  
"Hi, Kenny. How are you up so soon?"  
"I couldn't sleep... Listen, I forgot to have dinner last night. Mind if I eat something before I get to work?"  
"Of course I don't mind! You don't even have to ask, Kenny."  
"Thanks."

Kenny grabbed some food and ate it in his room, then left it and talked to Sam about what new tasks the large man had for him. This time, Sam gave him a short list, as Kenny had already done some tasks that had been on Sam's mind for quite some time, but that he had been unable to perform, since he was the only one working at the motel. Kenny's timely arrival was a blessing in the man's life, even if it was only temporary.

* * *

Several hours later, Kenny showered a second time and went to meet Tommy and his grandfather. He found a truck offloading things that Tommy and the old man were taking into the store.

"Kenny!" Tommy said excitedly.  
"H-Hey..." Kenny replied sheepishly as he blushed.  
"Hello, Kenny."  
"Hey."  
"...Would you mind giving us a hand?"  
"O-Oh, right! Sorry."

Kenny rushed to help Tommy and his grandfather carry a heavy box all the way to the back of the store. When they were done, Tommy's grandfather sat down, wheezing.

"Grandpa! Are you alright?"  
"I'm just tired, Tommy... Kenny, please help Tommy with the rest of the boxes, will you?"  
"Of course, sir."

Kenny and Tommy exited the store, with Kenny looking back at the old man every few steps. Once they were outside, Kenny asked the most obvious question on his mind.

"What's up with your grandpa?"  
"He's sick... He tries to make the most of the time he has left by talking really fast, but, sometimes... I just wish there was something I could do."  
"So that 'thing' he had to do yesterday..."  
"Yeah. He was at the hospital."

Tommy started sobbing.

"_Even his sobs sound like Kyle's..._"

Without warning, Tommy hugged Kenny and cried on his shoulder. Kenny gently patted Tommy's back, not knowing what to say or do.

"_Come on, Tommy... Please stop crying._" Kenny thought.

As if he had read Kenny's mind, Tommy stopped crying and broke his hug.

"I'm sorry, Kenny... I barely know you... I shouldn't have done that."  
"It's alright, Tommy... I probably would've done the same thing."  
"Have you ever lost someone?"  
"Yes, but not in the way you're thinking... I lost my bo... best friend."  
"What happened?"  
"He did something, and... I couldn't forgive him for it."  
"Why not?"  
"It's hard to explain... Not that you'd believe me anyway."  
"Try me."  
"...I can't."  
"OK... If you say so."

Kenny put his arms on one side of one of the boxes while Tommy picked up the opposite side. They tried lifting it, but it took three attempts before they could move it. They hurried to the inside of the store to put it next to the other boxes, barely managing to do so without dropping it. Tommy's grandfather was still there, back on his feet.

"Are you alright, grandpa?"  
"I'm feeling better, Tommy, but... I'm going back home. I'm leaving the store in your care."  
"Alright, grandpa. I won't let you down; promise!"  
"I know you won't."

Tommy's grandfather made his way out of the store and into his car. He drove away as slowly as he could, afraid to cause an accident, yet not feeling well enough to walk home. Kenny and Tommy watched the whole scene, until the old man couldn't be seen anymore.

* * *

Kenny and Tommy finished putting all the boxes in the back about an hour after they started. Both boys sat down on the store's floor, panting from exhaustion.

"So... What exactly are these boxes?"  
"Just... stuff. You know, for the store."  
"...Wouldn't it have been easier if we just unpacked and threw out the boxes without carrying them in here?"  
"Sure, but the last few boxes would be out there in the sun for hours. This way they'll be protected."

"_We probably wasted more time bringing them in here than we would have if we just did as I said, but whatever..._"

"We should get started on putting this stuff in the proper place." Tommy said.  
"Sure. Let's do it."

* * *

The boys finished unpacking everything about an hour later. They sat down on the empty boxes to rest, but could only do so for a few seconds before a costumer arrived. Tommy rushed behind the counter, while Kenny stood around, to help the costumer find whatever he wanted. Once the costumer left, Tommy and Kenny reclaimed their spots on the stack of empty boxes.

"Are you still tired, Kenny?"  
"Not anymore. I've been walking a lot the past year, so I'm used to it."  
"You've been walking? Why?"  
"It's because of my... friend. I had to leave to fix his mistake."  
"Where did you come from?"  
"South Park, Colorado. What about you?"  
"I was born in Crossville, Tennessee, but I don't remember any of it."  
"Why not?"  
"I... My parents were in an accident a few months after I was born. I was with them, but... I survived. People called it 'a miracle'."  
"What do **you** call it?"  
"Well, let's just say that if losing both my parents before I even got a chance to really know them is a miracle, I'd hate to see what a curse would look like."

"_Good point._"

"Say, Kenny...?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Why don't you ever take off your hood?"  
"I... It's cold."  
"Come on; it's not **that** cold. Take it off! You know it's rude to wear hoods indoors, right?"  
"I'm not taking it off."

Tommy thought about reaching for Kenny's hood and taking it off before Kenny could react, but he decided not to do it.

"_If Kenny doesn't want to take it off, it's his choice. Although... I wonder what he looks like under that hood. I can only see his nose and big blue eyes. Even his mouth is covered. Sometimes it's hard to understand him._"

"I'm gonna call my grandpa, alright, Kenny?"  
"...Do you really have to ask?"  
"I guess not... I'll be right back."

Tommy got up and walked several feet away from Kenny, so that he couldn't hear his conversation. Kenny stared at Tommy the whole way and started making a list of the ways in which he and Kyle were similar.

"_They're both cute as fuck... They smile in exactly the same way, dimples and all... And they're both fairly interested in why I always wear my hood... The only difference seems to be that Tommy isn't as smart as Kyle... and he would never do what Kyle did._"

"...Alright, grandpa. I'll see you later."

Tommy hung up the phone and went back to Kenny's side. He had a question in the back of his mind that he wanted to ask Kenny, but, due to the blond boy's reaction to his previous question, Tommy wasn't sure he should ask anything else.

* * *

The boys sat in silence for hours, until it was time to close the store. Kenny left it first, followed by Tommy. Tommy locked the door behind him and decided to walk Kenny to the motel where he slept.

"Kenny, would you mind if I walk you back to the motel?"  
"Um... I... I-I don't think that'd be a good idea..." Kenny replied as he blushed.  
"Please?"  
"Fine..." Kenny sighed. "It's this way."

Tommy followed Kenny all the way to the motel. Sam looked at the boys and, seeing Kenny blush, smiled.

"_Well, well... What do we have here?_" Sam thought.

"Welcome back, Kenny. Who's your friend?"  
"Hey, Sam. This is Tommy."  
"Hi!" Tommy said.  
"Hello."  
"So, Tommy... This is where I'm currently staying. Happy now?"  
"Can I see your room?"

"_God dammit, Tommy, you're fucking annoying... Whatever._"

"Come on; I'll show you..."

Kenny led Tommy to his room. It was messy, as Kenny hadn't had any time to clean it up, but Tommy didn't mind.

"It's kind of a mess. Sorry about that."  
"You should see **my** room."

"_Another thing you and Kyle don't have in common... His room was always pristine._"

"Well, now you've seen my room."  
"Yup... I gotta go now, though. My grandpa is waiting. Um... See you tomorrow?"  
"Sure."

As soon as Tommy was out the door, Kenny lie down on his bed and sighed from exhaustion.

"_Fucking Tommy... Being around you... Kyle..._"

* * *

Later that night, Tommy was finally having dinner with his grandfather, who was feeling somewhat better.

"Sorry to have to make you cook, Tommy."  
"It's alright, grandpa." Tommy replied with a smile. "I like cooking."  
"So... How was... the store?"

Tommy thought his grandfather's question was odd, but he decided to answer it anyway.

"Um... It was fine, grandpa."

Tommy took another bite of his food and chewed it slowly. He could feel his grandfather's eyes, surveying him for even the slightest hint of his true feelings. Once the old man realized that his grandson was utterly oblivious to his real intent, he decided to ask his actual question more directly, but not too directly.

"What do you think about Kenny?"  
"He's nice, but... he gets really nervous sometimes."

"_I can guess why... The first time he saw you, he turned redder than anyone I've ever seen. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on in his head, but you **clearly** haven't figured it out yet._"

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up before anyone else. He was sore from having carried and later shelved all the items in the store. It was still dark, so he checked his watch.

"_Five in the morning... I should go back to sleep._"

Kenny did his best to clear his mind in order to fall asleep as quickly as possible, but, after a few minutes, he heard Sam showering and decided he should get up as well. Kenny slowly dragged himself toward the shower and turned it on. He let the warm water pour down over his sore body and started planning for the future.

"_I wonder what I'll do once this is all over... One way or another, it will be over. Either Cthulhu dies, or I do._"

Sam finished showering before Kenny. He passed by Kenny's bedroom door and overheard his shower running, but didn't think much of it.

"_Two out of three times you wake up early... I hope this becomes a habit._"

* * *

About an hour later, Kenny was once again doing what Sam had asked him. This time, it was cleaning up the exterior of the small motel, as well as paint parts of the walls.

"_He's having me do all the stuff he should've done himself... It's only a temporary fix. He must know that._"

* * *

Kenny spent several hours doing what Sam asked. By the time he finished, he needed a second shower. After he was done, he went straight to the grocery store. On his way there, he came across Tommy, who had gone to the motel to check up on him.

"Kenny! What took you so long?"  
"I have other things to do, you know."  
"What things?"  
"...My stay at the motel isn't free. I have to work for the owner."  
"So you have two jobs?"  
"Pretty much. Trust me; it's not as bad as you think. I'm used to it."  
"If you say so... Let's go then! I'll race you to the store!"

Tommy tapped Kenny's back and started running. Kenny stood still for almost a full second before chasing after him.

"_He's certainly energetic..._"

* * *

The boys arrived at the store a while later, where Tommy's grandfather awaited, eating a yoghurt. They were exhausted and sweating, much to the old man's surprise.

"You ran here?"  
"Yeah, grandpa. I wanted to race Kenny."  
"Yup." Kenny confirmed.  
"I'm really glad you helped Tommy yesterday, Kenny. How long did it take? Was it too tiring?"  
"It only took a few hours... I was a bit tired afterward, but it's OK."  
"I'm glad. Want a yoghurt?"  
"That's OK. I don't like yoghurts that much."  
"Your loss."

* * *

A few hours later, while waiting for costumers, Kenny and Tommy were chatting near the store's entrance.

"So... Your grandpa seems better."  
"Yeah. I cooked him dinner last night to keep him resting."  
"You can cook?"  
"Yup!" Tommy said proudly. "You can't?"  
"Not really. Back in South Park, most of my meals were frozen."  
"Why don't you come by my grandpa's house and I'll teach you?"  
"I dunno... I need to be able to sleep, or I'll be too tired to work at the motel."  
"What about tomorrow? The store will be closed."  
"I... I'm not sure... I could use a break."  
"Consider it a break. Hanging out with friends."  
"...Fine. Where do you live?"

Tommy's grandfather could overhear Tommy explaining to Kenny where they lived. He noticed that Kenny seemed somewhat angry at Tommy, and began to question his earlier assessment.

"_It's not Tommy he likes... What is it? What are you hiding, Kenny?_"

"-and that's how you get to my house."  
"When should I go there?"  
"Around 3."  
"I'll be there."  
"Great!"

Kenny was impervious to Tommy's excitement. He simply nodded lazily and went back into the store. Tommy's grandfather stared at him as he did, which didn't go unnoticed by Kenny. Kenny decided to ignore it as best as he could.

"_The old man is kinda creepy... Oh well._"

* * *

The following day, Kenny waited until a few minutes before the agreed time before leaving for Tommy's house. He had nothing to do, so he lied down on his bed and let his mind race.

"_Every day Sam has less work for me to do... I guess I'm catching up to what he hasn't been doing all this time. I don't understand why he didn't just do these things himself. It's not like the motel has a lot of costumers... Or maybe it doesn't get a lot of costumers because he hasn't been doing these things... Kyle would probably say... Dammit; why do my thoughts always go back to him? I gotta stop thinking about him... All that does is make me hurt._"

Kenny glanced at his watch, with tears in his eyes, and realized he was late. He wiped away his tears and started making his way to Tommy's house.

"I'm going out, Sam."  
"Alright. See you later."

"_Tommy... Do you really consider me a friend?_"

* * *

A few minutes later, Kenny arrived at Tommy's house. His grandfather was absent, but Tommy himself seemed happy.

"_I hope he's alright..._" Kenny thought.

"Kenny! I'm glad you're here."  
"Yeah... Um... So am I."

Tommy smiled warmly at Kenny, making the latter blush.

"Well, come on! Let's go to the kitchen. I'll teach you a few tricks."

Tommy grabbed Kenny's hand and pulled him toward the kitchen.

"_His skin feels just like Kyle's..._"

* * *

For several hours, Tommy told Kenny about everything he knew about cooking. They experimented with nearly every ingredient in Tommy's house, but using small amounts of each, so as not to waste too much. Then they ate the food they'd prepared and went into Tommy's room, where he finally revealed the whereabouts of his grandfather.

"Grandpa went to see grandma."  
"Are they divorced or something?"  
"...She's dead."

"_Great, Kenny. You just fucked up, as always._" Kenny thought.

"I-I'm sorry, Tommy. I-I didn't know."  
"It's alright, Kenny. It's not your fault."  
"If you don't mind my asking... how did she die?"  
"She had heart problems. One night she just... never woke up. Grandpa was devastated."

"_Understandable..._"

"Grandpa should have been home already..."  
"He's probably just running a little late."

* * *

Tommy's grandfather arrived a few minutes later. Kenny and Tommy rushed to the entrance to greet him. He noticed Kenny seemed somewhat more comfortable around Tommy than before, yet his face was as bright red as ever.

"_Maybe he **does** like Tommy... But the better question is: does Tommy like **him**?_"

"So, what have you boys been doing?"  
"I've been teaching Kenny how to cook!"  
"Really? Did you learn anything interesting, Kenny?"  
"Sure did."  
"I'm glad... Tommy, would you mind if I speak to Kenny in private?"  
"Sure, grandpa. I'll be in my room, Kenny."  
"Alright..."

Tommy went into his room, leaving Kenny alone with Tommy's grandfather. Kenny wondered what he wanted to discuss, until the old man cleared his doubts.

"So, Kenny... Do you like Tommy?"  
"Um... He's OK, I guess..."  
"Come on; I've seen the way you are around him. I've never seen anyone turn red so quickly."  
"Right... Look, I just... I have this friend who looks just like Tommy."  
"And who's this friend to you?"  
"...I'll tell you, if you promise not to tell Tommy."  
"Alright."  
"...He was my boyfriend." Kenny sighed. "I've been in love with him ever since I can remember, but... he did something that I couldn't forgive, even coming from him. I tried, but... I just couldn't."  
"What did he do?"  
"Doesn't matter. All that matters is that it was something that obliterated my view of him."  
"Do you still love him?"  
"No. What he did was unforgivable. Now all he does is cause me pain."  
"Your pain tells me a different story."  
"It doesn't matter. We'll never meet again. I don't want to see him."  
"Kenny, running away from your problems isn't a solution. Trust me on that."

If it were any person other than Tommy's grandfather, Kenny would've told them to shove it. This time, he knew he had no choice but to accept it, or he might not find another job. Instead, Kenny tried to end the conversation.

"...I'm going back to Tommy's room, alright?"  
"Sure, Kenny."

The old man could tell Kenny didn't want to talk to him anymore, so he decided to respect his wishes.  
When Kenny closed the door behind him, Tommy asked the most obvious question on his mind.

"What did my grandpa want?"  
"Oh, you know... Just... stuff..."  
"Right..."

"_I guess I'll just have to get the truth from him._" Tommy thought.

* * *

**ONE WEEK LATER**

Tommy's grandfather had been leaving Kenny and Tommy alone at the store on purpose, so they'd be forced to bond. After talking to the old man, Kenny's anger toward Tommy had subsided, so it was easier for them to do so. Instead, Kenny directed his anger at Kyle, even though he was absent. In his mind, it was a step in the right direction.  
Tommy had frequently asked his grandfather what he and Kenny had discussed when the old man told Tommy to leave him and Kenny alone, but Tommy's grandfather wouldn't say anything.  
Kenny was leaning against a shelf, thinking about Kyle. Tommy decided to break his concentration.

"Kenny! You daydreaming?"  
"Hm? Yeah... Just thinking about... someone."  
"Who's that?"  
"None of your business!" Kenny said playfully.  
"Come on; tell me!" Tommy asked impatiently.  
"Maybe later; alright?"  
"Promise?"  
"Promise. Now come on. It's time to close the store."  
"Right."

* * *

After closing the store, Tommy headed with Kenny to the motel where the latter had been living. As soon as they arrived, Sam showed the boys what was on the news.

"The entire town was decimated. We have no confirmed numbers, but it seems every one of its inhabitants has been killed. This marks the most destructive attack by Cthulhu to date. Furthermore-"

Kenny stopped paying attention to the TV and ran into his room. Tommy followed once the report was over and found him frantically packing away his things.

"What are you doing?"  
"I thought I had more time..."  
"What do you mean?"  
"This is what I've been trying to stop. I have to follow Cthulhu and kill him before it's too late and there isn't a word left to save."  
"What the heck are you talking about?"  
"I don't have time to explain. I just have to go. Trust me."

Kenny quickly stuffed all his remaining possessions into his bag and tried to leave, but Tommy cut him off.

"Stop. Talk to me. What's going on?"  
"There's no time! I have to go!"  
"You'll be too late. Cthulhu already left."  
"No!"  
"...Just talk to me. I can help. I know I can."

Kenny knew Tommy was right. Every time he arrived at a destroyed town, it was too late. Cthulhu was long gone, and the few survivors, if any, couldn't help him.

"_If Tommy can really help... It could put me one step ahead of Cthulhu for once._"

"...Do you really think you can help, Tommy?"  
"I know I can."

"_You don't seem that bright to me, but... I have no other choice._"

"...Fine."  
"Tell me everything you know."

Kenny opened his bag and pulled out a map. In it, he had times, dates and locations for all of Cthulhu's known attacks.

"Are you sure that's all of them?"  
"They're all I could find."  
"And you're sure there's no connection?"  
"None that I can see."  
"What else do you have?"  
"Well... I know how Cthulhu was released."  
"How do you know that?"  
"...I was there."  
"Was that what your friend did? Was he the one who released Cthulhu?"  
"...Yes."  
"How d- **Why** did he do it?"  
"He was trying to save me."

Kenny told Tommy the whole truth. He started with his and Kyle's relationship, moved on to his trial and finished with Kyle's release of Cthulhu.

"How did it happen?"  
"How did what happen?"  
"How did you two break up?"  
"Well..."

* * *

**ONE YEAR AGO**

Kenny had taken Kyle out on a date near the lake. It was the only place they could be truly alone for as long as they wanted, but not all was going well. As usual, their peace was interrupted once they voiced their concerns about Cthulhu. Kenny no longer felt the need to lie to Kyle about his true feelings, which just made Kyle feel worse. This time was different. Kenny became so angry he started yelling at Kyle, who, in turn, yelled back.

"Kenny, just calm down!"  
"How am I supposed to do that, Kyle? You ended the world!"  
"Be quiet! Do you want everyone to hear you?"  
"Nobody can hear us out here; trust me."  
"There's no need to yell... Please stop yelling."

Kyle was honestly scared of Kenny's anger. He thought it was the real reason behind him murdering Cartman, and so Kyle didn't want to face it. Kenny took a deep breath and calmed himself down, before continuing his statement.

"I'm sorry, Kyle... I didn't mean to yell. It's just that... you caused all this. I just... I can't forgive it."

Kyle suddenly started crying. He begged Kenny to stay, but Kenny simply kissed him and walked away.

"Goodbye, Kyle."

* * *

**PRESENT**

"...That's it?" Tommy asked.  
"It's just a shortened version. Trust me; the year prior to that was pretty rough. I knew we wouldn't last ever since... ever since Kyle released Cthulhu. I know he did it for me, and I'm grateful, but that doesn't make it right. I lied to myself, telling myself it was OK, but, deep down, I knew it wasn't true."  
"Kenny... I'm so sorry."  
"It's alright. Now let's talk about how you can help me stop Cthulhu."  
"Well, the most obvious thing would be to find a connection between these locations, but there's none that I can see."  
"OK... What else have you got?"  
"Well... You said Cthulhu had been released once before, right?"  
"Yeah."  
"Could it be that he had been released even before that?"  
"I... I never checked."  
"Seriously?"  
"It never occurred to me, alright?!"  
"No need to get angry... I was just wondering."  
"I'm sorry... Look; let's just check the library."  
"It's closed right now. Let's go tomorrow."  
"We can't wait. What if Cthulhu attacks again tomorrow? He used to wait about a month between attacks, but, this time, he waited little more than a week. Who knows when he'll attack next..."  
"You want us to break into the library?"  
"I can do it myself. You don't have to come along."  
"No, no... I want to go with you. I wanna help."  
"Alright, Tommy... Let's go."

Tommy smiled and followed Kenny. Sam watched them leave, but didn't say anything.

* * *

Once the boys arrived at the library, they looked around and relaxed once they realized there wasn't anyone on the street.

"Where is everyone?" Tommy asked.  
"They're probably watching the news. We don't have long."  
"How are you gonna get past the door?"  
"Watch and learn."

Kenny pulled out a lock pick from his pocket and got to work on the door. After a few minutes of fiddling with it, the door unlocked.

"Wow! I thought only people in movies did that."  
"I learned it on Youtube. Then I practiced like crazy."  
"You're awesome!"  
"Um... Thanks." Kenny replied shyly. "Wanna go in now?"  
"Sure."

Kenny and Tommy entered the large library and were trying to decide what kind of book to search for.

"What about the Necronomicon?" Kenny asked.  
"That might give us information on Cthulhu himself, but not who might have found him before. We need someone who was there at the beginning... Maybe fiction?"  
"Don't you think something that big would be in newspapers?"  
"Maybe it was so localized that almost nobody saw it."  
"...Good point. Let's start with that."

Kenny took one end of the fiction aisle, and Tommy took the other. They searched for several minutes, becoming more disappointed with each passing moment, until they bumped into each other near the middle.

"Maybe you were right, Kenny..."  
"No; wait! What's that?"

Kenny's eyes were drawn to a small book with a red side, hiding amongst all the others.

"'The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Tales'... This is it!"  
"Open it, Kenny!"  
"Not here. We could be discovered. The news broadcast must be over by now. Let's just go back to the motel."  
"Alright."

The boys left as quickly as they could and ran straight back to the motel. There, Kenny handed Tommy the book.

"Why are you giving it to **me**?"  
"I hate reading."  
"Seriously?"  
"Yeah."

"_Unbelievable..._" Tommy thought.

"Fine; I'll skim it..."

Tommy opened the book, read the index and quickly found the relevant story. He skipped almost to the end and found references to a man named Johansen.

"That's a weird name." Kenny said.  
"He's probably not from around here."  
"Right... What does it say?"  
"It says he was there when Cthulhu was released, and that he drove a boat against his head, blowing it up."  
"Did it work?"  
"Nope. He just reformed and flew away."  
"What else does it say?"  
"It says the coordinates where R'lyeh was found and... where he was taken afterwards."  
"Any more?"  
"Nothing important." Tommy replied as he closed the book. "Now what?"  
"Well, we have a name **and** a location... We should try to find this 'Johansen'."  
"Do you have a computer?"  
"Fuck no! Those things are expensive."  
"Then we should go back to my place. Grandpa's probably getting worried about me anyway."  
"Let's go then. Bring the book. You can return it after I leave."

The boys walked to Tommy's house and went straight into his room, only stopping long enough to greet Tommy's grandfather. Tommy turned on his computer and began searching rescues of a man named Johansen. He found several, but quickly narrowed it down to just one and showed it to Kenny.

"There's no date, but... it looks like what you're looking for."

"_Why's there no date?_" Kenny thought. "_That's just weird..._"

"It says the guy was found adrift and taken to Canada."  
"Is that all?" Kenny asked.  
"No. It also says he was taken to a metal institution because he was insane when they found him. Kept talking about a big green dragon and a great city that sunk into the ocean. The city was never found, and the rest is just... Well, let's just say I would've stuck him in a mental institution as well if I heard him saying that kind of stuff."  
"Good point... but how reliable is this? There's no date. It might have been faked."  
"Do you have an alternative?"  
"No..."  
"Then I guess this is your only option."  
"...Good point. Where is this mental institution?"  
"In Canada."  
"...I should've known it was far away."  
"Do you know where to get on a train to Canada?"  
"Nope. I have been splitting my spare time between hanging out with you and sleeping."  
"I'll show you where it is tomorrow morning then."  
"I'll wait for you at the motel."  
"Alright, Kenny. See you tomorrow then."  
"See ya."

Kenny left Tommy's room slowly, fighting the urge to look back at him all the way. When he was at the door, he turned his head to the side and spoke to Tommy.

"And... thanks, Tommy."  
"No problem, Kenny."

Kenny passed by Tommy's grandfather on his way out. Tommy's grandfather was curious as to what his grandson and Kenny had been discussing, but he wanted to respect Tommy's privacy and didn't ask anything or even mention it to either Kenny or Tommy. Kenny and Tommy's grandfather stared at each other for a while until Kenny exited the old man's house without saying a word. Tommy's grandfather immediately knew what Kenny meant to say.

"_I guess we won't be seeing him again... Oh well. It was fun while it lasted._"

* * *

Kenny arrived at the motel a few minutes after leaving Tommy's house. Sam was already asleep, so Kenny tried to make as little noise as possible while making his way back to his room. Once there, Kenny undressed and lied down on his bed. His entire body was sore from overworking. He had been on the road for nearly a year, most of it spent working for people who didn't pay him nearly enough for his effort. All to save a world Kenny himself didn't think deserved to be saved. The only thing that kept him going was the hope that, once all this was over, he could finally rest.

"_It feels like I've been fighting all of my life... Now I finally have the end in sight... I can hardly believe it. The only question is: where do I go from here? I can go anywhere, within reason. I should really give it some thought._"

Kenny closed his eyes and sighed.

"_This bed is so comfortable... Feels like... Kyle's._"

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up with someone knocking on his door.

"Kenny! Wake up!"

"_Tommy?_"

"Tommy! I gotta do something first! Just go back home; I'll meet you there!"  
"Alright!"

"_I was hoping to finally see your face, but whatever..._" Tommy thought as he left.

Kenny slowly rose from his bed and went to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and went inside, completely forgetting to set the temperature.

"Fuck!"

The water was ice-cold, but it served to really wake Kenny up. He quickly set his preferred temperature for the water and sighed in relief.

"_That was unpleasant..._"

* * *

Once he was done with his shower, Kenny packed his bags and made his way to the motel's exit with them. Sam saw him and realized what was going on.

"You're leaving so soon?"  
"I'm afraid so... I need to... go... somewhere."  
"Sounds mysterious... Well, good luck, Kenny. It was nice meeting you."  
"Same here, Sam."

* * *

Kenny arrived at Tommy's house a few minutes after leaving the motel. He barely had time to knock on the door, as Tommy had been watching the street from his bedroom window and quickly rushed to the entrance to open the door.

"Hey, Kenny!" Tommy yelled with a smile.  
"Please lower your voice... I have a terrible headache."  
"Oh... Sorry."  
"Do you want to show me where I can get a bus out of here now?"  
"Already? Can't we... hang out a little?"  
"I'm sorry, but I just can't. What if Cthulhu attacks again? Besides, Canada is far away. I need to get there as soon as possible."  
"Alright... Let me just get my keys and lock the door."

* * *

The boys left for the train station. On their way there, they chatted about Kenny's future.

"What are you planning to do, if you manage to stop him?"  
"I've been asking myself the same question for a while now."  
"And...?"  
"I don't know."  
"If I were you... I'd travel. Go see the Grand Canyon, the Pyramids... You know, stuff like that."  
"I don't have the money. I barely have enough to stay at a motel. In fact, I didn't even have enough for this one. I'm just lucky the owner of this motel – Sam – allowed me to stay there for free... sort of."  
"I see..."  
"...I wish I **could** travel. Get away from everything. Maybe join a monastery."  
"Seriously? A monastery?"  
"I'm just thinking out loud."  
"Whatever you say, Kenny... We're here."

Kenny looked at the train station in front of him. It was smaller than he expected, even for such a small town.

"You sure this will take me to Canada?"  
"Not directly, no. You need to go further north for that."  
"Alright..."  
"Here; let me show you."

Tommy took Kenny to a map of the trains' path. He pointed to the spots where he would have to switch trains and Kenny memorized them. The boys then moved to where Kenny could buy a ticket.

"So..." Tommy said as Kenny purchased his ticket. "This is it, right? I'm never gonna see you again?"  
"I'm afraid so."

The duo walked over to the platform and waited for a train to show up.

"While we're waiting... can you just... take off your hood?"

"_Why are you so focused on that?_"

Kenny figured he didn't have anything to lose, so he put down his bags and slowly took off his hood. Tommy's eyes widened and he started to blush. He stood there for almost a full minute, until Kenny asked him what was going on.

"What?" Kenny asked.  
"Y-You're, um... Y-You're kinda pretty..."

"_You really are just like Kyle._"

"Um... Thanks."

Kenny smiled warmly at Tommy until the train arrived. Kenny slowly got on the train, and the boys waved goodbye to each other.

"_Goodbye, Tommy._"


	4. Johansen

I apologize in advance for the enormous chunk of dialog near the middle of the story. I think it's good enough to distract from its length, but that's just me.

* * *

Kenny was violently woken up by the train man a few hours later.

"Get up!"  
"Hm?"  
"Ride's over. Get up and get out."  
"Fine..."

"_No need to be rude._" Kenny thought.

Kenny slowly left the train and tried remembering what Tommy had told him.

"_I think it's... this way._"

Kenny made his way to the next train station as quickly as he could. Once he sat down on the train, Kenny looked out the window and let his mind race.

"_I wonder how fast we're going... Kyle would probably use the length of the train to calculate our speed... or something. I never really payed attention when he was trying to teach me stuff like that... I wish I had._"

Tears started forming in Kenny's eyes, obscuring his vision. Thankfully, nobody else noticed them. He quickly wiped them away and resumed staring out the window.

"_I wonder how Kyle is doing... Knowing him, he probably already got over me._"

* * *

In South Park, Kyle started reading out loud the report he had been working on for a month. As usual, his report was one of the best of the class... or it would have been, if he hadn't been so distracted by Kenny's absence. He kept glancing at where Kenny would've usually sat down in the classroom – near the back of the room, right next to Kyle. Each time he hoped to see him there, even though he knew it was impossible. Mid-speech, Kyle sighed and stopped speaking. He was on the verge of tears from constantly being reminded of Kenny's leaving. He held them back for almost half a minute, until his teacher asked him to resume reading his report.

"Kyle?"  
"Y-Yes?"  
"Please continue."  
"R-Right... Sorry."

Stan knew why Kyle was so messed up. Like Kyle, he also sighed, but from not being able to help his best friend.

"_Kyle... I've tried so hard to help you let go of... **him**. But everything I've tried failed miserably. I'm sorry, Kyle._"

* * *

Almost an hour later, Kyle and Stan were outside, heading for their next class.

"Still thinking about him, huh?" Stan asked.  
"Yup..."  
"Look..."  
"I know; I know... I've got to let go. You've been saying that for almost a year now."  
"What else am I supposed to say?"  
"Nothing... It's just... I miss him so much." Kyle replied with tears in his eyes.  
"I can tell..."

The duo finally arrived at their classroom. Kyle wiped away his tears and Stan decided to try one last thing before they entered the classroom.

"It's going to be OK, Kyle. Pain goes away."

"_It's been a year and it hasn't gone away..._" Kyle thought."_I don't think it ever will._"

* * *

As the boys entered the large classroom, Kenny arrived at his second stop. He quickly exited the train, so as not to be thrown out like before, and made his way to where he would board the third and final train.

"_I'm so close... I just hope it's all worth it._"

Kenny showed his papers to the proper authorities and got on the train. He stared out the window for the whole trip. Once he crossed the border, he took a deep breath.

"_Finally..._" Kenny thought as he exhaled."_Canada... Feels cold; even colder than South Park... Smells nice, though._"

* * *

Kenny got off the train several minutes after crossing the border. He quickly found a bus stop and patiently waited for the bus to arrive. When it finally arrived, Kenny asked the driver for some directions.

"Um... Could you warn me when we get to the mental institute?"  
"Sure thing, kiddo! Just be sure to stay close to me."  
"Will do."

Once the driver made sure Kenny had sat down properly, he continued along his path. It took him almost an hour to arrive at Kenny's destination – the mental institute where Johansen awaited.

"Alright, kiddo. This is it."  
"Thanks, sir."

Kenny left the bus and sighed.

"_So close to victory..._"

* * *

Back in the USA, Tommy glanced over the book the boys had taken from the library a second time, in case he had missed something important.

"_Johansen... Johansen... Only survivor of the encounter... Wait... Is that...? Holy shit!_"

Tommy quickly grabbed his phone and searched for Kenny's phone number, although he stopped before actually making the call.

"_Kenny's got to be in Canada by now... I can't just spend grandpa's money like that. Whatever happens up there, I'm sure Kenny will find out the same thing I did._"

* * *

Kenny arrived at the front desk, barely making it in time for visiting hours.

"Did you say Johansen?"  
"Yeah." Kenny replied. "I don't know his last name, though."  
"I know who he is... He's been here forever."

The man responsible for tending the front desk called another one to take Kenny to Johansen's room.

"Is he still saying the same crazy stuff about Cth- I mean, that city and the green dragon?"  
"Not for several years now. He said he's waiting."  
"Waiting for what?"  
"Your guess is as good as mine... Here we go. Room 1-4."

Kenny looked at the hallway he was in while the man tried to find the key to Johansen's room. The hallway was shorter than he'd expect, and the doors made the rooms look more like cells than actual rooms. Kenny figured it was normal and shrugged it off. The man quickly walked away, making Kenny nervous.

"Aren't you gonna... stand guard or something?"  
"No need. Johansen isn't dangerous."  
"...Then why is he here?"  
"He's crazy. That's all it takes."  
"Alright..."  
"Feel free to go outside if he wants to. Just don't let him leave."  
"Um... OK..."

The man left Kenny's sight, who then turned to Johansen.

"Um... Hello? Mr. Johansen?"  
"Yes...?"  
"I'm here about... Cthulhu."  
"I know nothing about Ct... Ct... Cthulhu."  
"I know that's-"  
"Let's go outside."  
"What?"  
Let's go outside. I need some air."  
"Sure..."

Kenny followed Johansen outside. Johansen suddenly turned to Kenny.

"...Are you an immortal?"  
"What?"  
"Are you an immortal?!"  
"I-I..."

Kenny was hesitant to reveal his secret, yet he still nodded.

"I'm sorry. They're always listening to my conversations in my room."  
"Seriously?"  
"Yeah... So, what do you want to know? About Cthulhu?"  
"I need to know how to stop him."  
"He's been released?"  
"I'm afraid so."  
"What does he want?"  
"He's going to revive all the other Old Ones. If he does... it will be over. For everyone. The Old Ones will rip this universe apart."  
"So, no pressure..."  
"You're the only one who can stop this from happening. You're the last of the immortals."  
"What happened to the others?"  
"Their immortality got the best of them. They fought against each other, intent on ruling mankind forever. Eventually, they died off."  
"...Do you think the same will happen to me?"  
"You're different. **Your** immortality is tied to Cthulhu. When he dies, you should become normal."

"_Normal... I can't even remember what that's like anymore..._"

"How do I stop him?"  
"I don't know..."  
"You were there, at the beginning! How did **you** stop him?"  
"I only delayed him. Now that you're the last immortal, you're the only one who can stop him for good."  
"Why me? Why can't I just delay him like you did and wait for someone else to finish the job?"  
"Immortals aren't born every day. Who knows when the next group wanting to release Cthulhu will arise. There might not be another immortal at that time. Are you willing to risk everything and everyone just because you're afraid?"  
"And you're not? You've been hiding here for **years**."  
"I've been here **waiting** for someone like **you** to come around, so that I could **help** people like you."  
"**How**, Johansen? How **exactly** are you helping?"  
"Look, I don't know how to stop Cthulhu for good, but I know who does."  
"Who?"  
"...Eric Cartman."

Kenny took a step back, confused and surprised. Why would Cartman hold the key to defeating Cthulhu? Why hadn't he told Kenny that when his life was in the balance, in order to make Kenny spare him? The questions buzzed around in his head, until Johansen answered them.

"Eric knew he couldn't fully control Cthulhu, or at least not forever. He found out how Cthulhu could be hurt by another immortal, but he kept the information to himself."  
"That's your plan? He's dead!"  
"You of all people should know that death is not the end."  
"...You want me to just waltz into Hell and interrogate Cartman?"  
"You're on Satan's good side after that thing with Saddam and Terrance and Philip. Even if you weren't, he knows this is important... Everyone is counting on you."

"_Kyle..._"

"What about God? Why isn't he doing anything about this?"  
"He says he doesn't want to interfere. Free will and all that... You know, between you and me, I think he's scared. Scared that his creation will destroy itself."  
"He created the Old Ones? What the fuck was he thinking?! They're complete monsters!"  
"They weren't always like that. In the beginning, they were the overseers of the universe. They watched over all of creation, making sure everything ran smoothly. Eventually, the power went to their heads, and they decided to rule over all of it."  
"So God didn't create them?"  
"Not directly... You see, when a star dies, sometimes it becomes a smaller, neutron star, other times a black hole. These are just some of the possible ends to a star's life. Moreover-"  
"I didn't memorize this from Physics classes; do you really believe I'll memorize it from you?"  
"...Anyway, sometimes, it becomes an Old One. At first, they used their power for good, but now... Well, you know what they're like now."  
"And God didn't see this coming? That seems like a huge gaping flaw in his 'design'."  
"And didn't he see all the evil people would do with their free will? You could ask these questions all your life, but you'll never get an answer. The only one who knows all the answers is him."  
"Whatever... How do I get into Hell?"  
"For most people, a self-inflicted gunshot would work. For you, well-"  
"Just spit it out! We've been talking for nearly ten fucking minutes and we haven't gotten to anything important!"  
"Sorry... I've just been alone for the better part of my... life."

"_Why did he pause?_"

"The entrance is in South Park."  
"...Of course."  
"Why do you think so much weird stuff happens there? It's a direct gate to Hell."  
"Where exactly is this 'gate'?"  
"Do you have a map?"  
"What? No! Why the fuck would I have a map?"  
"No need to be rude... Just relax for a bit. Take deep breaths."  
"Johansen, I'm quickly losing my patience. The more we talk, the more people Cthulhu kills, and the closer he gets to his goal. Just tell me where the fucking entrance is."  
"It's underground, in the South Park HQ for the Cthulhu cult."

"_How did **he** know about the cult's HQ?_"

"...How do I open the door?"  
"I'll explain it to you..."

Johansen wrote down a series of incomprehensible words for Kenny to say out loud when he reached a specific room. Johansen did his best to teach Kenny how to pronounce them. After several dozen tries, Kenny finally got it right.

"And that's all."  
"So I just need to say this and I'll open the gate?"  
"Yes. Just remember to say those words exactly as I told you. If you don't, you could wind up somewhere entirely different."  
"How much worse could it be, compared to Hell?"  
"...You have no idea."

Kenny flinched at the idea of something worse than eternal suffering, but pushed those thoughts out of his mind and asked an important question.

"Once I get the info, how do I get out?"  
"You'll need to talk to Satan about that. This door you're going to open is strictly one-way, but he can open a different one to get you out."  
"Do you really think he'll help me?"  
"He'll have to. Heaven is sealed off, but if the Old Ones are revived... Well, let's just say I wouldn't like to be in his place."

Kenny rose from his seat on the bench.

"Thank you for the information, Johansen."

Johansen nodded in response, and Kenny started walking away. However, a question presented itself in Kenny's mind, and it needed an answer.

"Tell me, how do you know all this?"  
"I... I first encountered Cthulhu in 1925. I'm not sure of the exact date, but it was somewhere between the first and eighteenth of April."  
"That was... eighty eight years ago! How the hell are you still alive?"

Johansen lowered his head, and Kenny immediately knew the truth.

"...You're not alive, are you?"  
"Cthulhu **must not** be allowed to revive the remaining Old Ones. It is up to you. Finish the job I couldn't."

Kenny still had some questions for the mysterious Johansen, but the latter simply vanished into thin air, saying that his work on Earth was done.

"_I have to get to South Park... even if it means facing Kyle again._"


	5. Home

I couldn't decide on the ending for this chapter, so I wrote two.

* * *

Kenny made his way back to South Park in only a few hours. He didn't feel like waiting for a bus, so some of it was on foot. By the time he arrived in town, it was already dark and snowing. Kenny could feel the snow flakes melting on his face, cooling him down, in spite of his parka and gloves.

"_Home... I should hurry to the cult's HQ._"

Kenny started walking toward the building, but the weather kept getting worse and worse. After just a few minutes, the wind became so strong that he could barely walk in a straight line.

"_I can't go on like this... I need to rest somewhere._"

The house closest to where Kenny was standing was Stan's, so he went there first. He tried tossing small snow balls at Stan's bedroom window, to no avail. He increased the size of the snow balls every few tosses, until he felt comfortable he had reached the maximum size that wouldn't break the window.

"_Fucking Stan... It's amazing his alarm clock manages to wake him up._"

The next house was Butters'. Kenny quickly made his way toward it. He repeated the same process of throwing snow balls, only, this time, it worked. Butters opened his window and tried figuring out who had been throwing stuff at his window.

"Kenny?"  
"H-Hey, Butters. W-Would you mind if I s-stayed in your room f-for the night?"  
"O-Oh gee... I dunno, Kenny... I don't think my parents would let you sleep over..."  
"J-Just let me in. You d-don't have to tell them."  
"Why don't you go over to Kyle's?"  
"B-Because I'm fucking f-freezing!"  
"I'm sorry, Kenny... I can't... I'm sorry."

Butters closed his bedroom window, much to Kenny's surprise and anger.

"Butters! Open the fucking window! Butters!"

"_Fucking Butters! I need better friends... Now I **have** to go to Kyle's, or risk freezing to death._"

* * *

On his way to Kyle's house, Kenny grabbed his cellphone and dialed the only number he felt compelled to call.

"Hello?" Tommy groaned.  
"H-Hey, Tommy."  
"Kenny? I'm so glad to hear from you! How did your trip to Canada go?"  
"It was f-fine."  
"Why are you stuttering?"  
"I-I'm back in South Park, and it's f-freezing!"  
"Why didn't you stop by to visit me on your way there?"  
"I... I wanted to get t-this over with a-as quickly as possible."  
"You could've stayed at my house so you wouldn't freeze."  
"Thanks, T-Tommy, but... I already have a-a place to s-sleep."  
"Alright..."  
"I-I gotta go now."  
"Wait... I read the book again before I returned it and found out something else about Johansen."  
"W-What's that?"  
"He's been in that mental institution for nearly ninety years! He should've been dead."  
"A-As it turns out, h-he was."  
"Seriously? You talked to an actual ghost?"  
"Pretty much."  
"Wow..."  
"L-Look, I really gotta go now. I-I need to talk to someone."  
"Thanks for calling, Kenny."  
"N-No problem."

Kenny hung up the phone and looked up at Kyle's bedroom window.

"_The light's still on... That's a good sign._"

Kenny started trying to get Kyle's attention. After a few snow balls, Kyle opened the window. He looked down and, as he saw Kenny, his heart started racing.

"Kenny!"  
"H-Hey, Kyle."  
"You must be freezing! Come inside. I'll open the door for you. Just... be quiet. My parents are sleeping."  
"T-Thanks."

Kyle closed his bedroom window and slowly made his way to the front door. On the short way there, he wondered if he should open it, given all the pain Kenny had caused him simply by leaving. His hand hovered over the knob for several seconds, until Kenny gently knocked on the door, somewhat expecting Kyle to keep it closed. Much to Kenny's surprise, Kyle opened it.  
Kenny noticed Kyle was still wearing his regular clothes, but he was too cold to care about it.

"Come on... My room is warm."  
"Thanks, Kyle."

Kenny followed Kyle into his room, dripping cold water on his way there. Once they arrived, Kyle locked the door behind them. Kenny felt the warm air permeate his body and slowly took off his parka and tossed it on the ground. Kyle frowned at Kenny's actions, but decided to not say anything. Kenny then proceeded to rub his arms, trying to warm himself up. Kyle got him a blanket and asked an important question.

"So... You're back."  
"Y-Yeah."  
"Why did you come to **my** place?  
"B-Because it's freezing."  
"You must've passed by Stan and Butters' houses on the way here."  
"...D-Do you want me to leave? I-Is that it?"  
"No..."  
"T-Then what?"  
"I dunno... It's just... You have no idea what it's been like. I've been... I've been crying myself to sleep almost every night since you left."  
"Kyle... I'm sorry."  
"Whatever... I'll go get my sleeping bag. You can sleep there for the night."  
"I... Thanks, Kyle."

Kyle searched under his bed and found the sleeping bag in question. Kenny stared at him as he searched, which didn't go unnoticed.

"...What are you looking at?"  
"You're... Um... You're still as attractive as ever."

Kyle's expression changed constantly from an awkward smile to a frown. Kenny noticed his ex-boyfriend's expressions and apologized.

"...I'm sorry."  
"It's fine..." Kyle sighed. "I'm going to sleep now. Feel free to stay up as late as you want, as long as you don't keep the light on."

Kyle started undressing all the way down to his underwear.

"You don't mind undressing with me here?"  
"We're both guys... and it's nothing you haven't seen before."  
"If you say so..."

Kenny followed Kyle's example, and, soon afterward, both boys were in their respective beds.

"Good night, Kenny."  
"G'night."

* * *

Several hours passed, but neither boy could fall asleep. To Kyle, it felt awkward to be in the same room as Kenny, trying to sleep, and not being close to him. Kenny shared Kyle's feelings of awkwardness, but the main reason for him not being able to fall asleep was the cold.  
Kyle eventually broke the silence by asking the only question on his mind.

"Kenny?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Just wanted to know if you were still awake."  
"I am."  
"No kidding... Why are you still awake?"  
"I'm cold."  
"I'm sorry... I don't have any spare blankets you can use."  
"That's alright. At least I'm not outside anymore. I'll warm up soon enough."

* * *

Time moved forward even more. The sun was only a few hours away, and still neither Kenny nor Kyle could fall asleep. Kyle broke the silence once again.

"You still up?"  
"Yup."  
"If you want, you can... I mean, if you're still cold... Um... You can sleep in my bed."  
"Your bed's tiny. Even when we were together, we had a hard time sleeping in it. Now... I doubt you'd want to sleep close to me."

"_You're wrong about that._" Kyle thought.

"I don't mind, Kenny... I just want you to be OK."  
"...Alright then."

Kenny slowly rose from the sleeping bag and made his way to Kyle's bed, who noticed Kenny was in his underwear.

"You still sleep in your underwear?"  
"Yeah... Is that a problem?"  
"No... It's just... No wonder you're cold. Ever heard of pajamas?"  
"I don't like them. They feel kinda funny on my skin."

Kenny took one step and he was right next to Kyle's bed. He got inside it as quickly as possible, so as not to let the warm air out, and lied down with his back facing Kyle's – each boy was facing opposite sides of the bed. Kyle still couldn't sleep, so he turned to face Kenny's back and got as close as possible without actually touching him. Kenny noticed the change in his friend's position, yet he didn't say anything, for fear that it would push Kyle away.  
Kyle's warmth was refreshing to Kenny, and so was their proximity. Kenny smiled and yawned loudly.

"Feeling sleepy?" Kyle asked.  
"Yeah... Your bed is just so warm..."

Kyle yawned as well, and Kenny could feel his friend's warm breath on his bare skin, which just made him feel better.

"_I missed this..._" Kenny thought. "_Being close to you is... I only wish we were still together._"

* * *

Kenny fell asleep shortly after getting in bed with Kyle, but Kyle himself stayed awake. Kenny was snoring softly, making it hard for Kyle to avoid giggling.

"_Your snoring is so adorable._"

Kyle stared at Kenny's back for several minutes. He slowly moved his hand toward it and stopped just before making contact.

"_Come on, Kyle... Control yourself._"

As if it had a mind of its own, Kyle's hand took the final step toward Kenny's back and touched it gently. Kenny woke up, but remained still and quiet, simply enjoying Kyle's hand on his back.

"_I just wish Kyle's hand was warmer... I guess he's still always cold._"

Kyle slowly ran his hand down Kenny's spine. Kenny smiled and held back a moan, until Kyle reached the very lowest point of his back, just above his butt.

"_God fucking dammit, Kenny... You're still as hot as ever._"

Kenny felt Kyle's hesitation in grabbing his butt, but the blond boy was actually hoping for it. He wanted it. After a while, Kenny revealed his wishes.

"...Don't leave me hangin'."  
"Kenny?! Y-You're awake?"  
"Been for a while now."

Kyle retracted his hand and turned away from Kenny.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I don't know what... Sorry."  
"It's OK, Kyle... I kinda liked it."

Kyle felt his cheeks redden and faced Kenny's back again. The blond boy also turned around, and Kyle smiled.

"Thanks for coming back, Kenny."  
"I... I'm not back."  
"What?"  
"I'm just here to... stop Cthulhu. I need to go to Hell and speak to Cartman."  
"And you came **here**?"  
"I was told South Park had a gate to Hell."  
"By who?"  
"Doesn't matter. I believed him."

Kyle suddenly started crying and sobbing softly. Kenny reached out and gently rubbed his friend's cheeks, attempting to stop his reaction, to no avail.

"Please don't cry... You know I hate it when you cry."  
"Why won't you stay?"  
"I... I can't."  
"Why not?"  
"Because... I can't forgive you for what you did."

Kyle's tears only increased with Kenny's confession. Kenny gently touched Kyle's forehead with his own, trying to stop him from crying. Kyle's tears stopped, but not for the reason Kenny hoped.

"I forgave you for killing Cartman; why can't you do the same for what I did?" Kyle asked angrily.  
"It's not the same. I killed **one** person. **You** ended **the world**. Maybe the universe."  
"I did it for **you**, Kenny. I stayed up at night, looking up everything I could find on Cthulhu and R'lyeh. All for **you**."  
"And I'm grateful, but..."  
"But what?"  
"I dunno... I just... **can't**... forgive you." Kenny replied as he got up. "...I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry, Kyle. I'll go now."  
"Don't go..." Kyle said as he got up and approached Kenny. "I don't care if you don't forgive me. I... I just want to be with you. Can't you stay with me, even if you don't forgive me?"

Kyle placed his arms on Kenny's shoulders, hoping his friend would agree with him. Instead, Kenny gently pushed Kyle's arms away and picked up his clothes.

"Don't leave... Please."

Kyle resumed crying, making Kenny stop in his tracks.

"...If I stay, do you promise to stop crying?"

Kyle wiped away his tears, unsure of what to say. He went with the first thing that came to his mind.

"I promise **anything**, if **you** promise to stay."  
"But will you **keep** that promise?"  
"...Yes."

Kenny slowly put his clothes back on the floor and approached Kyle.

"...Then I'll stay."

Kyle lowered his head and started crying again, this time with happiness. Kenny placed his right hand on Kyle's cheek and wiped away his tears. Kyle slowly raised his head, and their eyes met. Kenny pulled Kyle closer to him, locking their lips together. Kyle sighed, contented, and placed his hands around Kenny's bare trunk, slowly running his hands all over his back. Kenny flinched in discomfort at Kyle's cold hands, but, as they began to warm up, he reciprocated Kyle's action. Their embrace was only broken once the sun made itself seen through Kyle's window.

"...I have to go now, Kyle."

Kyle put his head against Kenny's chest, listening to the blond boy's heartbeat speeding up.

"Do you have to go right now? Can't we just be together a little while longer?"  
"This can't wait... Tell you what: come with me."  
"What? Into Hell?"  
"No. I would never make you see that. Just come with me to the entrance. I'll go in. You stay outside and wait for me."  
"What if... you don't come back?"  
"I promise I'll come back, no matter what."

Kyle put on the biggest smile Kenny had ever seen and started laughing.

"I'm glad you're back, Kenny."  
"...So am I."

* * *

After showering and getting dressed, the boys spoke to Kyle's family about Kenny's return. Everyone was surprised to see him back and wanted to know why he had returned, except Ike, who was just happy to see his big brother smile for the first time since Kenny left.

"When did you come back?"  
"I... I had some unfinished business here." Kenny replied.  
"Are you back for good?"  
"I..."

Kenny looked at Kyle. Kyle became perplexed by Kenny's hesitation, but was still hopeful Kenny would say what he wanted him to say. What he had promised.

"Yes."

Kyle smiled, and so did Ike.

"I'm glad to hear that." Gerald said.

Sheila wasn't as happy as her husband, but she couldn't deny that Kenny made her oldest son happy.

"...I-I'm glad too." Sheila finally admitted.

Kyle became ecstatic from hearing his mother admit she had changed her mind regarding his and Kenny's relationship.

"Would you like some breakfast, Kenny?"  
"Sure! Thanks."

* * *

Kenny and Kyle arrived at the Cthulhu cult's South Park headquarters a few minutes after leaving Kyle's house. The door had been closed off by the police years ago, but Kenny managed to open it.

"How'd you do that?" Kyle asked.  
"I've heard that before..."  
"What?"  
"Never mind... It's through here."

Kenny managed to lead Kyle to the basement and turned on the light. It was large, dusty and had several things living there, such as rats, spiders and all sorts of bugs. It smelled of mold and blood, making Kyle wince in disgust.

"Are you sure this is it, Kenny?"  
"Pretty sure. It looks... basement-y."  
"Right... What now?"  
"Stand back and watch."

Kenny slowly made his way to the center of the dark basement and began saying the words Johansen had taught him. Kyle, without understanding a word of what Kenny was saying, wondered for a few seconds if Kenny had completely lost it, until a large portal appeared in the opposite wall. It was large, oval-shaped, with flames surrounding it. Kyle stared at it, wide eyed and scared.

"Are you really going in **there**?"  
"'Fraid so, Kyle. It's the only way to stop Cthulhu."  
"...Good luck, Kenny. I'll be here, waiting for you."  
"Thanks, Kyle."

Kenny closed his eyes and slowly walked through the portal, which closed immediately after he stepped through it.

"_Please come back, Kenny..._"

* * *

Kenny could feel heat coming from all around him. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in a tunnel that seemed to be going through the Earth's core and beyond. He tried taking a step forward, but it backfired and he started being thrown around inside the tunnel. After almost a full minute, Kenny was finally spat out by the tunnel and onto a sand dune. He looked around himself and realized he was on a beach, but, instead of water, it had lava. The sand – if it was sand – seemed unaffected by the heat.

"_Is this it?_"

Kenny looked up. The sky was littered with dark red clouds. The sky itself was a light red, and, if viewed properly, one could see Earth, albeit distorted. Kenny could see a small green and pink smudge, and figured it was Kyle.

"_He's waiting for me... just like he said... I **will** come back, Kyle. For you._"

"Who goes there?!"

Kenny looked at the source of the high-pitched voice and saw a demon aiming what Kenny figured was some kind of weapon at him.

"I'm here to talk to your boss. It's about Cthulhu."  
"**You're** Kenneth McCormick?"  
"Uh... Yeah. You've heard of me?"  
"Everyone here has heard of you, immortal boy. You're the reason Cthulhu is free again! And now **all** of creation is threatened."  
"Yeah, sorry about that. Can you just take me to him or not?"  
"...Fine. Follow me."

Kenny followed the demon all the way to Satan's throne room. It was unlike anything Kenny expected. Instead of a throne of skulls, there was a large recliner where Satan sat. Rather than people nailed to walls, suffering, there were posters of various things Satan liked.

"Kenny!" Satan yelled as he waved for his demon to leave. "So glad to see you again."  
"Really? Your... employee didn't seem to share your enthusiasm."  
"Ah, don't mind him. He's just pissed I removed him from torturing souls to guard duty... So, how've you been?"  
"Well, the world's ending, which is partly my fault. I managed to track down a ghost who-"  
"Johansen?"  
"Yeah. How did **you** know?"  
"Well, the big man and I aren't on talking terms, but... angels are more than happy to brag about what he does."  
"**He's** the one who put Johansen in that mental institution?"  
"Yup. He wanted to be sure future immortals had some way to get rid of Cthulhu, should the need arise."

"_That's nice of him, considering he's the one who created the Old Ones in the first place._" Kenny thought.

"Enough chit-chat! I know why you're here. Eric is this way."  
"Lead the way."

Kenny followed Satan all the way to a tall mountain. Satan waved his arm and a large door opened. Inside, Cartman awaited. He looked at Kenny and grinned evilly.

"Hello, Kenny."  
"Cartman..." Kenny said angrily.

Satan could tell the boys would kill each other if he didn't stop them, but he didn't want to stand in the middle of them either, so he showed Kenny why Cartman hadn't escaped yet.

"You see those colored rocks? They sustain a force field around Eric. Nothing can get in or out... Except me and the things I let through."

"_That's a good idea._" Kenny thought. "_I'd probably kill him again, if I could._"

Satan left Kenny and Cartman alone and closed the door behind him, should Kenny find a way to disable the force field.

"So, to what do I owe this visit, my little dumb blond?"  
"You know what I want, fatass. Tell me how I can kill Cthulhu."  
"Why would you want to kill him? He will create a new universe from the ashes of this one. 'That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die'."  
"You told me that before. It means that only an immortal can kill another immortal, right?"  
"Wrong. Did you really think that was it? Did it make any sense to you?"  
"Well..."  
"...Wow. You're even dumber than I thought."  
"Shut the fuck up, Cartman."

Cartman smiled and giggled, which only made Kenny angrier.

"It's what will happen once the great Old Ones rule over this universe. They will wipe out death. Nobody will ever have to die again."  
"Billions will die before that happens!"  
"Trillions, actually. But why be sad? All life will reappear, under **their** guidance. The newly born will live forever, as will the great Old Ones."

Kenny turned his back to Cartman. The fat boy's words echoed in his mind. He tried his best to deny it, but he thought the trade-off between the lives that would be lost and the way the beings of the new universe would live was worth it.

"...I know why you're not saying anything. It's because you know I'm right. The new universe will be built on the ashes of the old one, and it will be worth it. All the death and destruction that we have caused; all the suffering... It will be worth it once the great Old Ones rule... Even Kyle would agree with me."

"_Kyle..._"

Kenny's mind split in two from hearing Kyle's name. On one hand, the Old Ones would end all suffering in the universe, presumably forever.. On the other hand, Kyle's life would be sacrificed. After several minutes of intense thinking, Kenny made up his mind.

"_I can't sacrifice Kyle... No matter the outcome._"

The next thing to figure out was whether he should lie to Cartman and say he agreed, or tell the truth, and reveal that he would never forfeit Kyle's life. Kenny eventually decided telling Cartman the truth would be best.

"I'm sorry, Cartman... but I just can't sacrifice Kyle, no matter what happens."  
"I understand..."  
"Will you please tell me how I can stop Cthulhu..."  
"You know, I saw you from down here, talking to Johansen."

"_He knew about Johansen?_"

"So what?"  
"A day up there is a year down here. In other words, I've been stuck here for centuries. This is the longest I've been without pain since my trial."  
"What trial?"  
"Down here. I was tried for my... crimes."  
"Serves you right."

Cartman stared at Kenny in anger. Kenny was afraid Cartman wouldn't help him, so he quickly apologized.

"Sorry."  
"Look... I'll tell you how you can stop Cthulhu."  
"Why would you tell me that?"  
"Because I'll enjoy watching you **fail**."

"_Typical._" Kenny thought. "_The world's ending and all he cares about is himself._"

"How do I kill him, Cartman?"  
"It's simple... You see, all immortals are connected. If you can get inside his head, you can control him."  
"...That's it? I thought you'd found out how to **kill** Cthulhu!"  
"Don't be stupid, you moron."

"_Wow. That's probably the lamest insult I've ever heard._" Kenny thought.

"You can't kill him. He's just too strong. Even Johansen couldn't kill him, and he rammed a fucking **ship** against Cthulhu's head."  
"Johansen was not an immortal. I am. I can do it, if you tell me how."  
"How would you kill anything else? Lots and lots of guns."  
"That's it?"  
"Pretty much."  
"What about all that 'only an immortal can kill another immortal' stuff?"  
"A lie, to control the mortals."  
"...Seriously?"  
"More or less. The Old Ones are powerful enough to kill each other, but most other immortals are too weak to do kill the Old Ones. They can only battle amongst themselves."  
"So you're saying I'm too weak?"  
"Pretty much. It's not your fault, though. Humans as a whole are weak. That's why you want to stop Cthulhu. Because you can't handle losing Kyle, even though you know it would be better for everyone."  
"You have no idea-"  
"Yeah, yeah. I have no idea what love is like. So what? I know what having a brain feels like."

"_Could've fooled me..._" Kenny thought as he smiled.

"The finite suffering of trillions would be nothing compared to the infinite bliss the new inhabitants of the universe would experience."  
"We... **I** can't sacrifice trillions just because something **might** be better than the current system."  
"'Might'? You really don't know the Old Ones..."  
"Whatever... You've told me what I need to know."

Kenny turned around and started making his way toward the exit, until a question popped into his head.

"Just out of curiosity... What was Cthulhu doing, flying around the country?"  
"Wiping out his worshipers; what else?"  
"Why?"  
"Why else? To make sure none of them betrayed him. He thought they knew of a way to kill him."  
"Gee, I wonder where he got **that** idea from."  
"What can I say? For such a powerful immortal, he's easily fooled."  
"Then why the delay between attacks?"  
"His power is not unlimited. He needs some time to gather strength, especially after sitting in R'lyeh for all that time."  
"Makes sense..."  
"And... we're out of time."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Look there."

Kenny stared up at where Cartman was pointing and saw Cthulhu, flying straight toward South Park.

"What the fuck is he doing?!"  
"He's coming to South Park to stop you. What do you think he's doing?"  
"I-I'm not ready!"  
"No shit, Sherlock. Just get up there and do your best. It will make your defeat all the sweeter."  
"Shut up, Cartman! Satan! I have to get back to town!"

Satan heard Kenny's screams, but he had already started moving toward the mountain where the boys awaited, as he too had seen Cthulhu heading toward South Park.

"I'm sending you back to South Park. Stop him, Kenny. For all our sakes."

Satan grabbed Kenny and tossed him straight up, across the dark red sky.

"He's gonna fail, Satan." Cartman said. "I know it."  
"Then why did you help him?"  
"...None of your business."

"_You're changing, Eric... I can feel it._"

"Besides, I lied to him."  
"What?"  
"I told him that any being can kill an immortal, even though that's bullshit."  
"Why would you tell him that?"  
"To give him hope... and to watch him fail."

* * *

Kenny appeared from a hole in the ground back in the cult's building. Kyle helped him up and asked him the obvious.

"What did he say?"  
"We don't have time. Cthulhu is coming!"  
"What?! Are you sure?"  
"Yes. I saw him."  
"Let's get out of here then!"

* * *

As Kenny and Kyle ran out of the building, Cthulhu flew toward South Park in anger.

"_My power is diminished..._" Cthulhu thought."_But the threat that the human Kenny represents cannot be ignored any longer._"

* * *

On their way out of the building, Kenny grabbed as many weapons as he could carry without slowing him down too much, and so did Kyle. Kyle was hesitant to fire weapons for the first time in his life, even if it was at Cthulhu, but Kenny reassured him there was nothing to be worried about.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't fired a gun since the time I... shot Cartman... but Cthulhu is a big target. You won't miss him unless you're trying to."  
"I just... I don't like violence, Kenny."  
"I know."

As Kenny and Kyle climbed the many steps that led to the entrance, Kenny quickly explained to Kyle what Cartman had told him back in Hell. Kyle was surprised to find out that Kenny's journey to Hell had seemingly been fruitless, but Kenny disagreed with his assessment.

"I found out how to kill him, Kyle. That's something."

* * *

Cthulhu roared in mid-air and landed right next to its cult's South Park headquarters. Kenny and Kyle exited the building just as it did and stared at it for several seconds, until it roared a second time.

"Kyle, get out of here." Kenny whispered.  
"What? Why?" Kyle asked.  
"If I don't make it, I need someone who knows how to kill Cthulhu. Just trust me; go!"

Cthulhu made a beeline for Kenny and tried grabbing him, knocking Kyle several feet backward in the process, but Kenny dodged Cthulhu's large, yet slow, hands. Kyle started running away as fast as he could, until he felt he was at a safe distance to watch Kenny fight Cthulhu.

"_Come on, Kenny... You can do it. I **know** you can._"

Cthulhu looked at Kyle and smiled. It wanted Kyle to watch as it killed the person he loved the most.

"I underestimated you, Kenny. I thought you were just another lowly human; food for the other 'Old Ones', as you call us... You want to know a little secret? I'm the one who had been sending you those little prophetic dreams of yours. I knew you would not be able to change them... For the most part, anyway. I also tried to confuse you by sending you visions of worst-case scenarios. Those were not real, as you can see."  
"What do you want, Cthulhu?"  
"I want my family back. My friends. The Old Ones, they were locked away by God for being too powerful. I was their priest. Because we would not bow down to God anymore, he had us sent away. The first time I was accidentally released, I was sent back to R'lyeh almost immediately, and a lock was placed on the door by the human you know as Johansen, under God's orders."  
"...You're lying. Johansen told me the truth. You tried to take over. Not only that, but literally reshape the universe as you saw fit."  
"And why should we not? We were once the true gods of this universe! We deserve to rule! It is our birthright!"  
"You don't deserve a damn thing. You would kill trillions for the sake of your own ego. You think you know better than God?"  
"Yes!"  
"...You're as insane as Cartman was."

Cthulhu roared in anger and grabbed Kenny, squeezing him hard enough to cause him pain, yet not enough to do any permanent damage. He wanted Kenny to suffer. After he loosened his grip, Kenny took a deep breath and smirked.

"You're even weaker than Cartman." Kenny said.

Cthulhu squeezed Kenny harder, almost breaking his ribs and making him scream in pain. When Cthulhu loosened its grip, it dropped Kenny on the ground. It wasn't high enough to kill him, but it broke his leg. Kenny screamed in pain again and started dragging himself away from Cthulhu.

"Where are you running, boy?"

Kenny stared at Cthulhu with fear in his eyes and tried getting away from it even faster, but Cthulhu simply reached for him again before something was shot into its eye. Cthulhu screamed in pain and started looking for whomever had shot it.

"Leave him alone!" Kyle yelled.

Cthulhu took two steps and stood in front of Kyle. He looked at the small red-haired boy and laughed.

"Foolish mortal! You think you can hurt **me**?"  
"Kyle!" Kenny yelled. "Get away! Run!"  
"You should listen to your boyfriend, little human."  
"Go fuck yourself, Cthulhu."

Cthulhu raised its right arm as high as it could, intent on crushing Kyle. Kenny watched Cthulhu's arm being lowered, as well as Kyle covering parts of his body with his arms, and panicked. Everything slowed down, with Kenny trying to get in front of Kyle; to protect him. Once he realized he would never get there in time, Kenny lost it. He tried getting up, only managing to pierce his skin from the inside with the broken bone in his leg and fell to the ground again. He didn't feel the pain anymore. All he felt was a deep need to protect Kyle. And he was about to fail.

"Kyle!"

Suddenly, Cthulhu stopped moving. Kyle stared in awe at the frozen behemoth and ran toward Kenny, who looked like he had passed out on the ground.

"Kenny!"

Kyle dropped to his knees and gently placed Kenny's head on his legs. He caressed Kenny's face and started crying.

"Please wake up... Wake up... Kenny..."

Kenny opened his eyes and found himself back in R'lyeh, but the city was different. The sky was pitch black, and the pillars and staircases lied in ruins. Kenny's body had been completely healed, much to his surprise.

"Hello?!" Kenny yelled. "Is anybody there?!"

Kenny's screams were answered by a low groan.

"_I hate that sound..._"

Cthulhu suddenly appeared, out of thin air, in front of Kenny. It looked angrier than usual.

"How did you do that?" Cthulhu asked.  
"Do what?"  
"You activated the link!"  
"What the fuck are you..."

"_Is this what Cartman was talking about?_" Kenny thought. "_How do I control him now?_"

"You can't keep me here, mortal! I will escape!"

Kenny stretched out his right arm and opened his hand as wide as possible. He focused on trying to control Cthulhu with his thoughts, to no avail.

"What are you doing?"  
"Um..." Kenny said as he lowered his arm. "Nothing."  
"I see..." Cthulhu said as he smiled and laughed. "You spoke with Eric. You're trying to control me!"

Cthulhu stepped forward, trying to intimidate Kenny.

"Let me out!"

Kenny took a few steps back and thought about releasing Cthulhu, even though he didn't know how, until he heard Kyle's voice in his head.

"Kenny... If you can hear me... You can't give up. Please don't give up."

"_Kyle... I won't give up!_"

Kenny stopped walking backward and instead stared into Cthulhu's eyes. It was surprised to see Kenny so confident, so it decided to try to ruin his confidence by roaring.

"I'm not afraid of you, Cthulhu! Not anymore!"

In a last attempt at controlling Cthulhu, Kenny reached out and touched it. He was immediately overcome with feelings of anger, anxiety and fear, but, above all else, sadness. Sad that his friends and family were gone. Sad that his life had been stripped of all meaning and purpose. Sad that his creator had abandoned him. He realized these weren't his thoughts and feelings, but Cthulhu's. Kenny stopped touching Cthulhu and instead stared into its eyes. Cthulhu took a small step backward, its face now reflecting the sheer panic it was experiencing. Kenny took several steps forward. Not in anger, but in understanding. He finally understood why Cthulhu had done the things it did. Kenny reached out and tried touching it again, but Cthulhu backed away a second time.

"Get away from me!" Cthulhu yelled.

Kenny stretched out his palm, waiting for Cthulhu to do the same. It slowly reached out and touched Kenny's hand with the tip of its finger, becoming aware of Kenny's thoughts and feelings. It felt Kenny's love for Kyle, his love for life, and even his pity for Cthulhu himself. It didn't understand why Kenny pitied it or how he could pity it, but it understood that he did, and that's all that mattered. Cthulhu's eyes changed from a bright red to a bright blue, similar to Kenny's eyes. Its expression changed as well. It seemed less angry.  
Having finally been able to understand Cthulhu's point of view, while making sure Cthulhu understood his, Kenny nodded and focused on breaking the link between him and Cthulhu.

* * *

Kenny's eyes flew open and he gasped, both in pain and surprise. He stared at Kyle for a few seconds, until the latter wiped away his tears and spoke.

"Kenny! You're OK!"  
"Well, my leg hurts... My whole body, actually."  
"You idiot! Your bone went through your skin. You could've killed yourself!"  
"I was trying to save you, Kyle."

Cthulhu moved toward the boys, covering them in its shadow.

"Don't come any closer!" Kyle ordered.  
"Wait, Kyle..." Kenny said. "It's OK."

Cthulhu spread its hand, aiming it at Kenny. Green energy flowed out from Cthulhu and enveloped Kenny. Kyle quickly let go of Kenny and stepped away, as the energy had burned through his clothes and hurt his hands. After a few seconds, the energy disappeared, and Kenny had been healed. Kyle ran toward Kenny, crying tears of happiness, and kissed his lover.

"Kenny... You're alright."  
"Yeah... My head still hurts a lot, though... Thanks, Cthulhu."

Cthulhu smiled and nodded, before staring off into the distance.

"What's wrong?" Kenny asked.  
"Kenny, Kyle... I'm so sorry. I didn't understand..."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Before I came here... I had already finished the spell to revive the other Old Ones."  
"You mean..."  
"They're coming here. All of them."

Kenny and Kyle stared at the sky. Hundreds of monstrous shapes appeared behind the clouds, slowly descending into town. They all seemed as angry as Cthulhu did before his link with Kenny.

* * *

**Author's note: This is ending #1. I have placed another note at the end of it, so you'll know where to skip to, if you'd like to read the other one instead.**

* * *

"What are we going to do?"  
"I... I don't know..." Cthulhu said. "I can't talk them into just stopping. They'll kill me if I... Wait... Kenny, can you create a link between all the Old Ones, myself included?"  
"I don't even know how I did it the first time! My head still really hurts from doing it before."  
"Just focus on talking to them."  
"Alright..."

Kenny closed his eyes and did as Cthulhu asked for a few seconds, before dropping to his knees, clutching his head in pain.

"Fuck!" Kenny yelled.  
"Kenny!"

The Old Ones slowly moved toward their priest, scaring both Kenny and Kyle.

"Kenny, you have to do it now. Focus on Kyle."

Kenny got back on his feet, with some help from Kyle, and tried again. He pushed through the pain and finally managed to complete the link. He then collapsed, but Kyle managed to grab him and gently place him on the ground.

"Kenny... You can do it. I believe in you."

* * *

Inside Kenny's mind, the Old Ones addressed Cthulhu, completely ignoring Kenny. Like it had happened when Kenny linked with Cthulhu, they were all standing in the ruins of R'lyeh.

"Cthulhu! What is this human doing here? Why have you not killed him, as we told you?"  
"I-"  
"Please, great Old Ones... Listen to me. I know you-"  
"You **dare** address us, human?!"

Cthulhu's breathing sped up, and it glanced at Kenny, telling him to be quiet. Although he understood Cthulhu's intentions, Kenny didn't follow its wishes. Instead, Kenny took a more aggressive stance.

"Yes, I dare! Now shut up and listen to me!"

Kenny resumed his speech, with the Old Ones staring at him in amazement at his courage. Kenny started by saying he understood that the Old Ones felt their lives were meaningless, then moved on to addressing the fact that Cthulhu and he had shared a link and now understood each other. The Old Ones whispered amongst themselves when Kenny admitted the latter and stared at Cthulhu, who was too ashamed to say anything. Once Kenny finished his speech, the Old Ones seemed even angrier than before. Not at Kenny, but at Cthulhu.

"Cthulhu! You dared let this... inferior being pierce your mind?"  
"He didn't let me do anything! I did it on my own!"  
"You invaded the mind of a god?!"

The Old Ones roared in unison and made their way toward Kenny. He started taking a few steps backward, until Cthulhu got between him and the other Old Ones.

"Brothers and sisters, listen to me. If you'll just allow me to-"  
"No more talk! We want to leave here and finish what **you** started. This universe will be ours, as is our destiny."

Seeing that the other Old Ones didn't want to link their minds with it or Kenny, Cthulhu tried a desperate move. It picked Kenny up and flew across the city, to the very edge, and whispered its plan to him.

"Kenny, I'm going to try something, but I'll need your help."  
"What can I do?"  
"I need you to force them to share your mind."  
"How do I do that?"  
"Same way you forced the link onto me and them. Just focus."  
"Is that all?"  
"There's something else... Doing this... will probably kill you. For good. The human brain is just not built to handle such a strain, especially with so many immortals."  
"...Will Kyle be alright?"  
"Yes. I promise; once the other Old Ones see what your mind is like, they will return to their original purpose – overseers of the universe."  
"Alright... Let's do it."

Cthulhu started chanting incomprehensible words, while Kenny focused on the other Old Ones. He felt their presence, closing in on him and Cthulhu. Kenny's body started twitching, much to Kyle's surprise. He gently rubbed Kenny's forehead before kissing it and whispering words of encouragement into his ear. Kenny's eyes flew open, both in his mind and in South Park, and light began to emanate from his body. The light enveloped the Old Ones' bodies, and their eyes slowly changed from a deep red to a pale blue. Kenny screamed in pain all throughout the procedure, and then it was over. The Old Ones started moving again, but Kenny remained still. Kyle realized Cthulhu's plan had worked, but he didn't understand why Kenny hadn't woken up.

"Kenny... Wake up, buddy. It's over."

Kyle gently shook Kenny, whose body was completely relaxed. Kyle started crying once he figured out what was going on, yet he kept shaking Kenny, increasing the intensity of his movements with each shake, hoping Kenny would wake up. Cthulhu stared at the small boys and felt a deep sadness overwhelm him. Having shared Kenny's mind; having felt his love for Kyle, it regretted that its plan had resulted in Kenny's death. Kyle wiped his tears, looked up at Cthulhu in anger and started yelling at it.

"You! This is **your** fault! Fix it! Bring him back!"  
"Kyle, I can't just..."  
"Yes you can! You think yourselves gods? Then do something **good** for a change! Bring him back!"  
"It is beyond my power to do so. After healing him, my power has decreased significantly. The other Old Ones are also weakened, having just been revived."  
"Then just wait until your power increases and bring him back then!"  
"The longer someone is dead, the harder it is to bring them back. I can't do it."

Kyle turned to Kenny and started crying again. Cthulhu knelt down and gently pushed Kyle away.

"W-What are you doing?" Kyle asked as he sobbed.  
"I can't bring him back directly... but I can trade another life for his."  
"Whose? You think one of your buddies will want to sacrifice himself for Kenny?"  
"I don't need them to... **I** will. Thing is... us Old Ones don't have souls, so I'll be gone... forever. Oblivion, I believe is what you call it."  
"Y-You'd do that... for him?"  
"I would."  
"Why?"  
"...Because he loves you."

Cthulhu started chanting, and Kyle stepped away from Kenny. He started to feel tingly. Lightning came crashing down; too close for comfort. Kyle figured it was due to whatever Cthulhu was doing. Cthulhu suddenly roared and his body began to dissolve and merge with Kenny's. Near the end, Kyle stared up at Cthulhu.

"Thank you... Cthulhu."

Cthulhu nodded and roared one last time as its life was sacrificed for Kenny's. Kenny's body convulsed for a few seconds, scaring Kyle. Kenny's eyes suddenly flew open and he started coughing and groaning.

"Kenny!"  
"Don't yell..." Kenny groaned. "My head hurts... a lot."

Kyle went straight for Kenny and held him in his arms.

"You're back... I was so worried..."  
"Where did I go?"  
"You... You died."  
"Yeah... Cthulhu said that might happen."  
"And you did it anyway?"  
"I was trying to save you."

Kenny received a small slap from Kyle.

"Don't **ever** do that again!"  
"You know, I'm still hurting from it. No need to hit me."

Kyle apologized and hugged Kenny. Their embrace was broken by an Old One approaching them. Kyle slowly reached for the closest gun and hid it behind his back, should the Old One still want to kill them. Much to their surprise, it bent down and spoke to them in a soft, calm voice.

"Humans... We will leave you alone. You have earned our respect."  
"Um... Thanks?"  
"We will return to what our creator intended and oversee all of creation. Farewell."

Kenny and Kyle stared in awe as the Old Ones flew off across the sky and out of the atmosphere.

"_Finally..._" Kenny thought. "_It's over._"

Kyle helped Kenny get up and held him tight.

"Kenny... You did it. I can't believe you actually did it."  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Kyle."  
"You know what I mean!"

The residents of South Park finally left their homes and went straight for the boys. Some of them were carrying weapons, even though everything was over.

"Kenny! Kyle! Are you alright?"  
"We're fine, Stan!"

"_What took you guys so long anyway? The Old Ones must've been here for, like, half an hour!_"

"Come on, Kenny. Let's go home."

* * *

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

"Come on, Kenny! Let's go! Let's go!"  
"Calm down, Kyle... It's just a date."  
"It's not 'just' a date. It's our first date in over a year."  
"You're right, but it's not like we'll miss out on a lot if we slow down a bit."  
"Alright..."  
"It's right over there."

Kenny helped Kyle climb the rest of the hill, and the boys set their stuff for the picnic Kenny had planned. Kyle sat down on the large towel Kenny brought and stared at the sun. It was almost gone, which made the sky look bright red. Kenny sat down next to him and looked at the sun as well, while nestling his head against Kyle's. The duo smiled and watched the sun go down while slowly eating and drinking what Kenny had prepared. Shortly after the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the second part of their date started – the meteor shower. Kyle had been waiting for a long time to see it, but he never thought he'd be able to see it with Kenny.

"Make a wish." Kenny said.

Kyle closed his eyes and tried to decide what he should wish for. After a few seconds of thinking, he opened his eyes again.

"So what did you wish for?" Kenny asked.  
"Let's keep that a secret. That way it might come true."  
"Good point."  
"What would **you** wish for?"  
"I already have everything I want."

Kyle smiled, and the boys kissed. Kenny then placed smaller kisses on Kyle's neck, who moaned in response.

"I love you, Kenny."  
"I love you too."

"_I'll always love you._"

* * *

**Author's note: That's ending #1. Ending #2 starts now.  
**

"What are we going to do?" Kyle asked.  
"Run."  
"What?"  
"Run. Now! Run!"

Kenny took Kyle's hand and started running as far away from the Old Ones as possible. Cthulhu did its best to keep the other Old Ones at bay, but they were simply too many. It was overrun, and the Old Ones captured Kenny and Kyle soon afterward, knocking them out in the process.

* * *

Several minutes afterward, Kenny woke up and started groaning.

"Kenny!"

Kyle rushed to his friend and hugged him as softly as he could.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"  
"I'm OK, Kyle... Where's Cthulhu?"  
"He's not here..."  
"Where **is** 'here'?"  
"I **think** it's some kind of jail, but I'm not sure. We were both knocked out when we were brought here."  
"I assume you've tried escaping?"  
"Yup."  
"Alright... What now?"  
"We just wait... and hope Cthulhu can convince the other Old Ones not to kill us and the rest of the universe."  
"Do you really think he's even gonna try that?"  
"Nope."

"_You're probably right._"

Kenny looked at the jail he was in. It was small; probably too small to be considered humane, had a single barred window, a barred door and walls made out of something similar to concrete. There wasn't anything even resembling a toilet, which Kenny realized would constitute a problem, if they were left there for too long.

* * *

The boys sat in their cell for hours, chatting about whatever came to mind and embracing each other for most of the time. Sometimes Kenny tried escaping, either through the barred window or the door, never succeeding. It was during one of these attempts that Kyle voiced his true feelings.

"We're never getting out of here..."

Kenny stared at Kyle for a while, but Kyle simply lowered his head, trying desperately to hold back his tears.

"Don't say that. I'm gonna get us..."  
"What?"  
"Don't you hear that?"

Kyle raised his head and approached the window. He could definitely hear something, but he didn't know what.

"It sounds like... people screaming." Kenny said.  
"Are the Old Ones attacking?"  
"No... Sounds like it's the other way around."

* * *

A few yards away, the residents of South Park had gathered to retrieve what had been taken from them – Kenny and Kyle. They brought what weapons they could carry and were actively discharging them on every Old One they came across. A small group split from the offensive party and searched for the missing boys. They quickly arrived at the jail and called out to them.

"Kenny! Kyle! Are you guys in there?"  
"It's Stan!"  
"Yeah! We're in here!"  
"Stay away from the wall! We're gonna tear it down!"

Hooks were attached to the bars on the window and connected by strong ropes to a nearby truck. Once they were properly tied, the truck driver received a signal. The truck's tires were screeching and sending out clouds of smoke, until, finally, the entire wall crumbled away. As soon as it did, Kenny and Kyle tried figuring out where they were. They didn't recognize the town. It looked like it had been abandoned years ago. There were some tall buildings – taller than one would expect for what seemed like a small town – and some of them were in ruins. The boys barely had time to examine their surroundings before Stan told them to stop gawking.

"Move it!"  
"Right!"

Kenny and Kyle ran to Stan's side. The duo was handed guns and knives, and the entire group started making their way back to the vehicles they had arrived in.

"What are you guys doing here?"  
"What do you think? We came to rescue you!"  
"How did you know where to find us?"  
"Hundreds, maybe thousands, of monsters came from the sky. It wasn't that hard to follow them... Look, we'll chat later! Just keep running!"  
"Wait! Where's Cthulhu?" Kenny asked as he stopped running.

The entire group slowed to a halt, waiting for Kenny to follow them.

"Why do you care?" Stan asked.  
"He's the only one that can stop all this. We need him."  
"We can't just-"  
"You guys distract the other Old Ones. I'll find Cthulhu."  
"Kenny, don't do it." Kyle begged. "What if you... get hurt?"  
"I gave you my word, Kyle. I'll come back, no matter what."

Kyle quickly approached Kenny and kissed him.

"You'd better come back."  
"Stay safe, Kyle."

Kyle turned to Stan and the other South Park residents and waved for them to keep going. He looked back one last time and waved at Kenny before running along with the others. Kenny focused on

"_I can't believe I'm saying this, but... time to save Cthulhu._"

Something compelled Kenny to move East. He ran as quickly as he could and found Cthulhu, tied up and with green energy coming out of its head and going into another Old One. They were talking in a language Kenny couldn't understand, but it was clear Cthulhu was begging for its life, and in pain.

"_I found him... Now what?_"

A third Old One came into the scene, addressing the one that was hurting Cthulhu. Kenny understood they were talking about the residents that had come to his and Kyle's rescue. After the report was finished, both Old Ones left Cthulhu tied up and went to join the others in battle.

"_Wow. South Park must be kicking ass!_"

Kenny approached Cthulhu slowly, making sure he wasn't seen by any other Old Ones.

"Hey! Cthulhu!"  
"Kenny? Is that you?"  
"Yeah."  
"What are you doing here? I told you to run!"  
"I'm here to rescue you. A little gratitude would be nice."  
"I can't be helped... They've drained my power."  
"You're still alive, so they didn't finish. You can still fight. We could use another immortal on our side."  
"There's hundreds of them. What hope do we have?"

Kenny started cutting the large ropes that had Cthulhu pinned down.

"If you'd stop feeling sorry for yourself, you'd know there's still hope. How did the Old Ones get sealed up in the first place?"  
"God did it."  
"Well, can't you do something similar? You claimed your whole kind were gods."  
"I... I have no power left. To do what you're asking... It would kill me."  
"...I see."

Kenny stopped cutting the ropes holding down Cthulhu and put away his knife.

"Your arm is free. You can do the rest yourself."  
"Where are you going?"  
"I'm going back out there, to fight with my friends and family. Unlike you, I don't care if I die, as long as they are safe."

Cthulhu slowly ripped up the ropes with his free arm and got up.

"Kenny... I can't do it."  
"Yeah, I get it. You're selfish. You only care about yourself."  
"That's not it. Those Old Ones out there? They're **my** family. **My** brothers and sisters. **My** parents and children. I can't betray them."  
"They already betrayed **you**. They tried to **kill** you. That's not something family members do... I know it's hard, but you have to face reality. Sometimes... Sometimes family and friends are just bad guys."  
"Like Eric?"  
"Yes. Sometimes you have to... do what's necessary."  
"...I can't do it."  
"Then we're all dead."

Kenny turned his back to Cthulhu and started making his way to where the battle was occurring. He looked back to Cthulhu, hoping it would step up and fight, but Cthulhu simply shook its head from side to side and lowered its head.

"...Coward." Kenny spat.

* * *

Kenny arrived at the battle a few minutes after leaving Cthulhu's side. Some people were severely injured already, and others were dead. The Old Ones were obliterating the South Park residents.

"There's Kenny!"

Butters rushed to Kenny's side.

"Did you find Cthulhu? Is he going to help us?"  
"No. We need to go back to South Park."  
"Well... at least you tried."

Butters signaled for the remaining forces to gather the wounded and go back to town. The Old Ones didn't let them, though. They spat out powerful beams, destroying the various vehicles the residents had arrived in.

"What do we do now?"  
"We run. Take cover in one of the abandoned buildings."  
"That's not going to stop them! Nobody knows we're here!"  
"We'll deal with that later. Right now we need to protect ourselves."  
"...Fine. Let's move, people!"

The South Park residents did as Kenny suggested, but the Old Ones cut them off before they could reach the buildings. They were surrounded. Kyle found Kenny amidst all the people and hugged him tight.

"Any more ideas, Kenny?" Kyle asked.  
"Yeah... We kick ass and shoot in every direction until we die."  
"That's not really a good plan, is it?" Butters said.  
"Do you have any alternative?"  
"No..."  
"Then we fight. And, if we must, we die."

Everyone – even the wounded – gathered what little strength they had left, loaded their guns and aimed at the Old Ones.

"Now! Go!"

The group started firing at the Old Ones, who screeched and roared in pain, getting closer with each bullet. They believed they were truly done, until a thick energy cylinder coming from the sky enveloped them, fending off the Old Ones.

"_What the fuck?_"

A shadow was cast down on the cylinder, which made the South Park residents look up. They saw a large winged creature coming down beside the shield. It was Cthulhu.

"Cthulhu!"

Cthulhu roared in anger and started attacking an Old One. The other Old Ones diverted from their positions around the cylinder and rushed to attack Cthulhu. The cylinder collapsed, and the group ran to a nearby building. Kenny stayed behind, trying to help Cthulhu and nearly getting crushed by an Old One it had tossed.

"Get out of here, Kenny!"  
"No! I can help!"  
"Get out of here!"

The Old Ones had had it. They roared in unison and all jumped onto Cthulhu. It tried to get up, failing with each attempt. Once they were sure Cthulhu wasn't going anywhere, the Old Ones attempted to drain its remaining power. Kenny realized what they were doing and panicked.

"Cthulhu!"  
"Go! I can handle this!"

Cthulhu screamed in pain while Kenny reluctantly left its side and ran to where the other South Park residents were hiding. Mid-route, he looked back at Cthulhu, who nodded and smirked.

"Now you're mine!"

Cthulhu focused all its remaining power on a spell to seal the Old Ones forever. As it chanted, it realized the power it had left wouldn't be enough to finish the spell. As it had told Kenny, it would have to sacrifice its life to finish the job. The Old Ones only understood Cthulhu's purpose once it was already done with the spell. They tried flying away, but, by then, it was too late. They were all pulled backward into Cthulhu. Kenny was also sucked into the same vortex, much to Kyle's surprise and fear.

"Kenny!"

Kyle tried going after Kenny, but Stan quickly pinned him down.

"There's nothing you can do! Just stay here!"  
"No! I can save him!"

The boys stared as Kenny and the Old Ones were compressed together and disappeared. Kyle struggled beneath Stan, still wanting to go after Kenny.

"Kyle!" Stan yelled. "He's gone!"  
"No!"

Kyle slowly stopped struggling and instead started crying.

"_Kenny... I'm sorry. I broke my promise... I hope we'll meet again... in Heaven._"

* * *

Little did Kyle know that Kenny was still alive; just out of reach. Kenny was floating in a bright void, filled with all sorts of colors. He opened his eyes and watched as the Old Ones tried to escape.

"_Where am I?_"

Cthulhu suddenly appeared, glowing. It looked peaceful, which was surprising. It spoke to Kenny in a low, soft voice.

"Kenny... I did as you asked."  
"I see... Why?"  
"Because you were right. These... things are not my family. They have strayed far from their purpose and lost themselves in the process. I just hope... I hope that being here for eternity will make them see that, and then... I hope God will take pity on them and release them."  
"What about me?"  
"My life is almost over. With my last breath, I will send you back where you belong."  
"Thank you... Cthulhu."

Cthulhu smiled and, as his final act, sent Kenny back to Earth. It was already slowly dissolving into light as it did, but the Old Ones were too busy screeching and clawing at their prison to care.

* * *

A small hole appeared in mid-air, and Kenny was tossed out of it. The South Park residents had begun to leave, but, Kyle, who wanted to stay behind and mourn, was still there. Kenny crashed into him, knocking both of them down.

"Kenny?"  
"Yeah, Kyle... It's me."

Kyle wept tears of joy for his friend and hugged him as tight as he could.

"Kyle..." Kenny groaned. "That really hurts."  
"I-I'm sorry." Kyle replied as he loosened his grip. "What happened to Cthulhu?"  
"He... He sacrificed himself to save us... He's a hero."

"_Cthulhu..._"

"What about the Old Ones?"  
"They're gone. Maybe they'll come back later, but... not for a very long time..."

Kenny and Kyle slowly got up. Kenny stretched his hand, and Kyle held it.

"Now... Let's go home."

* * *

**EIGHTY YEARS LATER**

Kenny and Kyle lied on their beds, wheezing. They hadn't shaved in months, yet their beards were relatively short. They were both wrinkly and their hair had turned white. Kyle sat straight up, barely being able to do so, and spoke to Kenny.

"Kenny?"  
"Yeah?" Kenny replied as he got up.  
"You OK?"  
"Not really... I feel..."

Kenny suddenly stopped talking and lied back onto his bed. The next sound Kyle heard was a long beep, indicating Kenny had died. He started sobbing for the loss of his husband, until he, too, died. The boys slowly ascended into Heaven, playfully giggling and twirling around each other, slowly becoming younger as they rose. They finally arrived at the pearly gates, looking like they did in their early 20's.

"Kenny and Kyle, right?"  
"Yeah."  
"You're the ones who defeated the Old Ones! I'm impressed."  
"Actually, Kenny did it."  
"I couldn't have done it without you."  
"Indeed... Thanks to your help in defeating the Old Ones, the big man has decided that you two will be in the same part of Heaven."  
"Really?"  
"Of course. You see, most people get a small piece of Heaven for themselves, but special cases, like you two, get to share Heaven."

Kenny looked at Kyle and both boys smiled and nodded to the gatekeeper, indicating their agreement.

"Very well. Welcome to Heaven."

The gates slowly opened with a loud bang, creaking as they did. Kenny and Kyle hurried to the final threshold.

"You ready?"  
"Ready as I'll ever be."

Kyle took Kenny's hand, and the duo stepped through, ready for the ultimate adventure.

* * *

I'd like for you guys/girls to review, if you have the time. I consider these last three K2 stories to be some of my best work, but the small number of reviews is making me doubt my assessment.


End file.
